Cooking Up Mayhem
by 5seedapple
Summary: Mikey meets Rebecca Reeder, a sheltered young woman new to life in New York. Will anything grow between them or will their enemies stop them before anything blossoms? Can Becca handle her new life? 2nd story, read System Malfunction first. A Michelangelo x OC / Mikey x OC story. Rated M for violence, blood, cussing, death, lemons/limes and over all adult themes. Other couples too.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Here it is, guys, _Cooking Up Mayhem,_ Mikey's story. If you haven't read System Malfunction, the first story in this series, please do so. If not, well, hello little miss/mister rebel, nice to meet you. I hope that you like this story and that you're not too confused as to what's going on here.

 __ _ **This disclaimer applies to all chapters of this story!**_ I do not own anything! I'm not getting paid to write anything, trust me, I wish I was, but I'm not… but if anyone wants to donate some time and leave a review, please fell free. I own only _my OC's_ and _my_ story line. All that other legal BS for copywrites applies because although I wish I owned TMNT, I don't.

5seedapple here to give you guys a friendly reminder that sex will be happening in this story, which means that if you don't like it, you can skip it, or just not read my story, the choice is up to you, but you have been warned. Also, there will be blood, violence, gore, all over bad language, death and new to this story, castration. (For those who may find that last topic sensitive, don't fret, I won't be going into too much gruesome detail and it will only be once. I did think that deserved it's own warning though and will warn you prior to it's happening.)

Inspirational, amazed, impatient and all around good reviews are welcomed, appreciated, and will be publicly thanked as I move through this story. If you are going to be a negative Nancy and try to flame me you will be completely ignored. Now, on with the show!

*)O(*

Mikey moved through the lair in an agitated depression. His mind hopped from one thing to the next, unable to even settle down to finish playing the new game he got. He was torn. With Donnie's proposal, everything seemed to sink in. Sara was it. There would never be another female in the world who would be able to stand being with a turtle. If such a woman existed, surely he would have found one by now, but noooo… Donnie scooped up the only one on the earth. While New York wasn't the whole earth, it was _his_ whole world. He lived and breathed the city life vicariously through the people that they saved, or by watching TV. His all over down trodden mood was sinking him, like lead weights on his legs, into despair and realization. He would never find someone for him.

He'd lived with the hope of finding someone just for him. Someone who would laugh at his jokes, tell him silly stories of when they had been young as they laid in bed together at night. Like any man, he'd fantasized what would happen after the lights went off. He wanted to hold somebody and know that they were the one for him. He scoffed at himself. Being a guy, he probably shouldn't have been thinking about 'The One' as if he was some love struck teenage girl, but to Mikey that idea was very real.

He'd introduce himself and she wouldn't be frightened at all. They would laugh with each other and plan amazing pranks together. They would get closer over time, and she would be the first to make a move. They would realize they'd fallen in love and decide to get married. He even had an ideal image for her with curly blond hair and shimmering blue eyes. Just one dimple on one side of her face when she smiled. She'd laugh like a wooden wind chime, light but heartily. He shook himself and growled low.

"Dude," Raph said suddenly. "You okay?" Mikey looked up and realized he'd found his way into the kitchen. He looked around for a way out but he knew he'd have to explain. "Stupid game," he said and let out a smaller, less frustrated growl. He eyed Raph. There was someone a girl would want, muscled as all get out with a distinct bad boy vibe. As was his nature, Mikey's mind found a silver lining in the middle of a thunderstorm. "You mind spotting me in the dojo of a minute? I want to work out some of this frustration."

"The games that bad?"

"Yeah," Mikey grumbled, not used to lying.

"Then come on over to the dark side, my friend," Raph joked.

"Do you have cookies," Mikey asked, trying to lighten his mood.

"Nah, but we do have peanut butter protein shakes," Raph laughed as they headed for the gym. Mikey donned his cloak of joy and merriment, holding it close like it was a shadow at high noon.

*)O(*

Rebecca Reeder tossed her oversized bag down on her bed and belly flopped beside it. She let out a long groan as her high heels slipped from her feet and tapped against the plush carpet of her room. She was beyond exhausted. She'd thought that getting a job in New York would have been easy with all of her father's influence still lifting her name up in the business world. As it appeared, that wasn't the case. She'd walked up countless flights of stairs, and stood for hours in elevators, and do not get her started on trying to maneuver in this damned city. Stinky cabs, crowded sidewalks, rude people and the once attractive smell of pretzels and hot dogs tainting her nose. Still, she wasn't done.

The nightlife of New York had fascinated her since she was a teen. She'd wanted to be one of the beautiful women who danced all night and slept all day, but responsibility had kept her from it for a whole month. Now, an old friend had offered to take her out on the town, his treat. She couldn't say no, he could possibly be her new boss. They'd known each other while they went to a private middle school together. She'd crushed on him hard. He'd been two grades above her and the year he went to high school was the year her mom and dad had split.

He'd recognized her when she'd went for an interview. She had been pretty sure that she'd been nailing the interview, confident that this last one was going to be the one. Then he'd noted the school name on her resume. Everything had clicked and she'd told him she was impressed with how far he'd gotten in such a short amount of time. He joked about how much better she looked without glasses. She cringed, remembering all the times he'd stood up for her when she got bullied. He hadn't been able to tell her that she'd gotten the job, but he had invited her out. She'd accepted, hoping to better her odds.

Now she was wishing she hadn't. Her feet and back ached. Her hands throbbed from keeping them clenched all day. She had a headache from all the sounds. The only reason she wasn't asleep was because she knew she had to do this. So, she groaned, got up and went to the bathroom to get ready. She'd need something else to wear besides business attire.

She found the club just a couple blocks from her house and waited to see Liam, hopefully her new boss. He rounded the corner and waved to her. He wore casual clothing, blue jeans and a t-shirt with a jacket. Winter hadn't quiet lifted its hold on New York yet and it was cold enough that breath misted. She waved back, excited to finally get in line. Liam got closer and engulfed her in a hug. Rebecca sputtered a bit, thrown by the gesture. Instead of getting in line, Liam called out to the bouncer and the bouncer nodded to them. Liam led her into the club.

*)O(*

Sara was going over a section of the city that they didn't often patrol because it was more densely populated. Mikey ran beside her, her partner for this area tonight. She could tell he'd been down for a while but she hadn't been able to drag anything out of him. He'd been working out with Raph here lately and while everyone found it odd, no one said anything because getting Mikey to train at all was an accomplishment. As she jumped and twisted to land on another roof she realized they were getting close to the cut off area, any closer and there would be too many people for it to be safe to patrol.

Mikey ran a little ahead and Sara watched his shell. The bounce wasn't there in his step. He didn't throw any jokes back at her. She was worried for him. She went to speed up, to catch up with him when she heard the sound of trashcans banging together and a woman's voice. Mikey must have heard it too. He skidded to a halt and turned to the sound. "Hey! Stop it!"

That was all they needed. They ran to the sound as the woman's voice got louder and more hysterical. They found the source. A woman who was clearly drunk trying to fed off a much larger man who seemed to have his wits about him. "Come on, you know you want to." Sara's stomach turned. She knew where this was going to go. They had to stop him. "Get. Off, ME!" The woman screamed this time, loud and ringing in the alley. She kneed the guy in the crotch and pulled away. The man doubled over but reached out and grabbed the woman's arm. She looked to Mikey. He looked back and they nodded as a loud crack rang through the air. They looked back to see the man drawing back again. He'd hit her, hard.

Sara jumped, using a spout to slide down to the ground. Mikey jumped straight down, his bones dense enough to take the fall. She ran in the shadows to the man, careful of a light on the back of the club. She remembered Splinter's training as she hurried to the woman when the man punched her again. _A ninja is only a ninja if they remain unseen._ She didn't have the fear of being seen so much as they guys, but that was only because she wasn't a mutant turtle. She threw a smoke bomb at the pair and watched as Mikey grabbed the man, hitting him hard on the back of the head.

Sara went to the woman. "Hey, it's okay now, my friends dealing with that asshole. Let's get you out of here."

"He, he's my boss…" The woman mumbled. As the smoke started to lighten, Sara could see that her top had been ripped a little and her skirt was missing a patch along the hem. It looked like she'd been fighting him for a while. "I don't care if he's the president, if you say no then he shouldn't touch you." Sara told her.

"He's just drunk…" The woman said. Sara knew that even the woman didn't believe that shit, but was trying to rationalize what was going on. "Drunks don't try to rape people, only rapists do that." Sara affirmed. "You need to find a different boss." She could hear Mikey kicking the guy a couple times, driving home the point with 'friendly reminders'. The woman's eyes got big and she wondered if the smoke had cleared enough for her to see Mikey. Sara looked back and she was able to make out a shadow approaching them. "Is she okay?" Mikey asked.

"Yeah, I think so, it looks like we got here in time," she answered.

"Are- are you guy's superheroes?" The woman asked, they'd gotten that a lot here lately and even ran with it when people were as drunk as this girl was. Sara laughed but Mikey responded. He cleared his throat, "Turtle Titian, to the rescue!" Mikey said with conviction. The woman blinked. "Wait till you see his costume," Sara said softly. She knew this routine by heart now. They'd be able to help her and she wouldn't freak out, so long as Mikey didn't touch her. Mikey stepped through the smoke and put his hands on his hips, looking up and away as if looking to the future. The woman smiled.  
"Nice," she slurred. She looked around. "Where is Liam?"

"Is that his name?"

"Yeah, where is he?" She asked again.

"I've got him tied up and waiting for the cops."

"No! Don't call the cops! I won't get the job and my dad will kill me!" The woman pleaded. Sara and Mikey exchanged looks. No way, they were calling the cops. This dude was going to jail for sure. "Just, let me see him." The woman asked. Sara looked to Mikey. He shrugged and stepped out of her line of sight so she could see the guy, Liam. Sara watched as the woman held her top together and walked over to the man. Then she let her jaw drop as the woman's foot went back and she delivered a field goal kick straight to his exposed nads. Sara didn't even possess that piece of anatomy but it hurt just to watch. Mikey physically jumped back and a hand went to cover his lower two plates on his plastron. The woman then let go of her top and slapped Liam in the face as he cried at the abuse to his nether region, reducing the man to a pile of whimpers and moans.

The woman walked back to them. She was probably two steps away when the tears started. Sara reached for her and encased her in a hug. The woman heaved in her arms. "Hey, how about I take you home, okay? Mikey - I mean Turtle Titian will stay here to talk to the cops. He'll just say you ran away and he couldn't stop you, okay? Your name won't even get mentioned because we don't know it."

"Rebecca… My name's Rebecca."

"Becca, I like that name," Mikey soothed. "But I won't tell the cops, okay? We don't need the pork convention to show up at your place and cause you anymore problems, okay?" Mikey's joke got the woman to laugh a little and her tears dried up. "Thank you, Mikey- I mean Turtle Titian, and… Raccoon Girl?"

"Banshee," Sara laughed. "Now come on, let's get you home." Sara nodded to Mikey on more time before steering the girl out of the alley and to her home.

*)O(*

Rebecca woke up late. She'd been drunk last night but she remembered all of it. Liam getting her refill after refill of a mango tasting drink, him touching her too high on her thigh, which prompted her telling him that she was leaving. Him following her out to the alley. She remembered the vomit inducing fear over knowing she wasn't strong enough to fight him off. The fear that she was going to lose everything. The pain in her face after being struck was still there.

Then confusion as smoke filled the air, but there wasn't any fire around. Then…Banshee… and Mikey, or Turtle Titian saving her. She remembered the feeling of satisfaction when she kicked Liam squarely in his family jewels and the walk home. Banshee helping her to get into bed and telling her that everything was going to be okay; that she'd left her number on the frig if she ever needed her, but that she needed to get a different job ASAP.

Rebecca couldn't agree more. She whimpered at the pain in her face. She was sure she looked hideous. She got up and went to get aspirin. She'd need to, for sure, and she was going to have to cancel all of her other interviews for the next couple of days, probably even a week.

Rebecca busied herself with phone calls and rearranging her calendar while icing her face on and off. She'd already missed a couple and they weren't willing to negotiate, her hopes for the others falling as they told her 'We'll get back to you.' or 'We're booked until…' She'd chanced a look in the mirror earlier and grimaced. Her lip was split, she had two black eyes and her left cheek was severely swollen. She had scratches on her chest from where Liam had ripped her shirt. She looked like a walking domestic violence case.

By the time she'd made all her phone calls and had everything written down, it was getting dark. She'd spent the whole day either on hold or negotiating for a time when she didn't already have something booked. She frowned but then stopped when it pulled at her cheek. She saved the number on her fridge into her phone, deciding to call and thank her personal heroes for saving her innocence. She almost pressed the button before someone pounded at her door.

She was still new enough to life in New York that she kept all four of her locks locked but the sound of the door rattling wasn't comforting. She panicked for a moment, wondering if it was the police. She rationalized that they would have already said that they were, and that Banshee had guaranteed her that she would remain anonymous. The pounding resumed and she swallowed. Was it Liam? Was it someone he had hired to get revenge and finish what he'd started? Rebecca clutched her phone.

Quietly, she walked over to her now silent door. She opened the cover quickly and looked out. Three men stood outside of it. She didn't recognize any of them. None of them spoke. One turned around in a lazy spiral and she covered her hand with her mouth. A handgun stuck out from his pants. She slid the cover back in place and backed away from the door. Liam _had_ sent people after her. She looked around, unsure of what to do. She looked at her phone and then the door. She pressed the call button and went to her bedroom, sure that they wouldn't be able to hear her from that distance. The phone rang twice then a male voice answered. "Hello?"

"I need to speak to Banshee," Rebecca whispered.

"Are you in danger?"

"Yes, she said to call her… tell her that she's going to need Turtle Titian, too."

"Can you call the police?"

"It's Saturday in New York, they'll never get here in time, please; I just need someone to scare them off."

"Okay, hold on, you live at 12 F, correct?"

"Yeah, could I… talk to her?"

"Yeah, just a minute…" The man called for a _Sara_ , which was probably her real name and then barked out a rough _Mikey_.

"Becca?" Banshee's voice said suddenly.

"There are three guys outside of my door and they won't stop knocking, one of them has a gun. I'm scared. Can you help me?"

"You should really call the cops."

" _They'll take at least 45minutes to get there, there are two major traffic accidents cutting off the quickest routes to her house,"_ the male voice said, as if he was fully aware of what the cops could do in this situation. "How long for us to get there?"

" _Ten minutes if we go ahead of you._ " The guy said. Banshee sighed. "Okay, Mikey goes in first since she knows him." What sounded like an okay and Rebecca could tell they were talking to her again. "Alright, Becca, here's what I need you to do, okay? Go to your bedroom window and open it up, the guys are going to come in from there by the fire escape, okay?" Becca made short work of the task. "Now what," she asked.

"Do you have anything that you can use as a weapon handy? A baseball bat, a knife, even a lamp…"

"I've got…" Becca said looking around. Oh, how she wished that she'd gotten a gun like her dad had told her to. "Don't we all," Banshee said and Rebecca realized she'd said that aloud. Her eyes landed on her decorative katana that she'd gotten while on a field trip to Japan. "I've got a sword…," she said softly. The pounding at her door started up again.

She nearly dropped the sword as it spooked her. "Is that them?" Banshee asked.

"Yeah," Rebecca breathed.

"Alright… Now do you have any training with that sword that you've got?"

"Katana, and no, none." She could hear a disappointed sigh from Banshee and wondered what her survival rate was at this point. How much time had gone by? It felt like a half hour or half a day but it couldn't have been because no one had crawled through her bedroom window yet. She heard a loud bang and jumped. "What was that?" Banshee asked quickly.

"I think they're trying to get inside now…" Why was she so calm while she was freaking out so badly?

"Lock your bedroom door. It'll give you a little longer…" Banshee seemed to pause just long enough for Rebecca to lock the door. "Now I want you to grab a pillow and a blanket from your bed." Banshee said softly, almost a huff, as if she was running. Rebecca followed her orders quickly. "Tuck a corner of the blanket under the door way, enough to almost jam it." A couple of huffs as a break in her instructions were impeded. "Don't you have a bathroom adjoined to your bedroom?"

"Yes," Rebecca whispered as another, louder crack sounded through her apartment as she tucked another fold under the door.

"Get in it now!" Banshee ordered, as if she knew exactly what Rebecca knew. They were inside. Rebecca scrambled, jumbling the phone and the katana with a pillow tucked under her arm. She made it to her bathroom and barely stopped from slamming the door. "Becca?"

"Yeah!" She yelled in a whisper. She was shaking. Everything was tunneling down. She was going to be sick, she was sure of it.

"Lock that door, too." Banshee said calmly. "Do you have the pillow still?"

"Yeah," she breathed as the lock clicked way too loud.

"Use it… just like you did the blanket." Yep, Banshee was either running or having grade A sex. Huffs broke into her instructions and Rebecca started to panic. This was not the time for instructions to be delayed! She needed every bit of help she could get! She stared at the pillow, realizing she hadn't even started to follow what Banshee had told her. "Got it?" Banshee asked.

"Not yet…" Rebecca fibbed. Trying to get down to level, she let the katana fall by accident and it clanked a little. Rebecca held her breath, listening to see if anyone else heard it. "What was that?" Banshee asked and Rebecca could have sworn that she'd almost shit herself when the silence was broken. She finished stuffing the pillow into the door the best she could and whispered as low as humanly possible, "The katana."

"You still have it? Good job! Are you done with the pillow?" Was that happiness in this woman's voice? Who in the hell had the gall to be happy right fucking now! "Yes, now what," Rebecca said instead. "Hold it, blade down and stand a little behind the door, but far enough so it won't hit you if it slams open." Banshee huffed. Rebecca could hear something out side of the bathroom and swallowed her stomach back down her throat. "The guys are almost there-" A loud powerful sound of wood splintering shattered any remaining calm inside of Rebecca. "Put the phone down, if any one comes through that door, swing on them like you're chopping fire wood!"

She dropped her phone, cringing as it shattered on the tile. Like she was chopping firewood, she remembered. She wrapped her hands around the handle and held on tight, her knuckles turning white. She could feel the shaking turn into a tremor. She raised the blade up and behind her head. She could hear their voices now. Their steps thumped even on the soft carpet in her bedroom. One of them yelled, but she missed what they'd said because of the blood in her ears and her eyes locked so intently on the knob to the bathroom. Then she heard one of them grunt.

Straining her ears now, hoping to get some forewarning before they broke into her tiny sanctuary, she heard another grunt followed by a yell. "What the he-" the man didn't get the last syllable out before something cut him off. She shrieked when something landed against the door hard enough to rattle it and cause a dent to come through on her side. A roar stopped her short as a yelp of pain came from the other side of the door. All the while she stared at the brown thin wood, ready to either keel over from a heart attack or die trying to defend herself. She heard one more thump and then everything went quiet. It was the kind of quiet that signaled someone's death in a horror movie. The kind of silence where your ears almost popped from strain of trying to hear anything. When the next sound came, it was a knock on the door.

Spooked beyond anything she'd ever dealt with before, she went to chop down on the non-existent threat and ended up throwing the katana at the door hard enough that it stuck in it and quivered at the abuse. Someone yelped and a brief ruckus occurred on the other side of her damaged barrier. "It's just me, Becca," a voice called. Mikey/Turtle Titian was on the other side of the door.

When the body receives signals that you are no longer in danger, it seems that for a few euphoric moments, all the adrenaline in your body is converted into sheer joy. The world stops and all you're left with is a peaceful Zen that monks spend lifetimes trying to achieve. You can breath one or two full, hope filled breaths without focusing on anything else than that. It's more than enough to make you cry before your body comes down and everything is chaos. Your body basically becomes pudding, unable to hold you up any longer. Your heart works faster than a teenage girl texting her crush. You realize that your fingers are cold and that they won't stop shaking… your whole body is shaking. Your lungs burn trying to gulp air like a fish out of water. All while Niagara Falls rings in your head and your vision fades for seconds or minutes.

Rebecca felt it all. Endorphins raging, fighting for dominance inside of her body as she sunk to the floor and hoped she hadn't peed herself. She was going to be sick. She was just quick enough to lurch over the bathtub and heave her stomach there instead of the floor. The force of it only made everything else worse as her body tried to find balance. She heard something outside of the door but ignored it. She decided right then and there, she hated New York.

*)O(*

Becca hadn't said anything back and Mikey was starting to worry when he heard the distinct sound of someone throwing up. He grimaced but didn't move from his spot near the door. The tip of a blade just barely peaked through the wood and he fixated on it. She would have had to chuck it pretty hard to get it stuck like that. Honestly, it impressed him. He was also glad that he'd followed Sara's order not to open the bathroom door for any reason. No doubt, he would have been turtle soup later that night if he hadn't been prepared for a sneak attack. Leo was telling the others to hog tie the intruders up and to take them down to the alley.

Mikey didn't even notice at first that Sara had finally arrived because he was listening to a solid stream of cussing on the other side of the door. "Is she okay?" He heard and turned to look at the woman he saw as his sister. She didn't have any of her make up on but she did have her bandana wrapped around her face to protect at least part of her identity. "Yeah, I guess she wanted turtle kabobs for dinner though," he joked as he pointed to the door.

"I thought I told you not to open it!"

"I didn't, all I did was knock!" Mikey said as he put his hands up. "I know better by now not to do the things you tell me not to!" He joked to hide the fact that he was a little hurt by her comment.

"She's scared to death… has she said anything?"

"No, but she did puke."

"Hold on," Becca's voice came through the door. "Cause I haven't pissed myself yet, and I don't plan to start!" Mikey recognized the tone of a joke in her voice and started to laugh. The girl had a sense of humor, at least. Sara got closer to the door and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Besides almost shitting myself, yeah… just give me a minute…" Becca trailed.

"Okay, I'm going to get the guys out of here, okay?" There was no reply to that statement. Sara turned to the guys and they all nodded. This would be where she would take over so the girl wasn't traumatized anymore… for now. The men had been Purple Dragons. They would keep coming back and the next time it wouldn't be to just kill the girl and leave; they'd take her as a prize and torture her endlessly. She would have to be relocated.

When Sara eyed him as well, he became defensive. "Costume, remember?" He whispered.

"She's not drunk anymore, Mikey," Sara said softly, trying to ease the hurt of her words. Truth hurts. "But," he started when the door swung open. Mikey winced taking in the damage to the girl's face. Last night there had only been a little bit of swelling, but today her face looked like a Mac truck had hit it. Becca smiled at them shortly before eyeing him suspiciously. She cocked her head to the side then the other. She looked at Sara then back to him. Her mouth fell open and he expected it. It happened every time. She'd scream, cry, pass out, and they'd have to formulate a new plan on getting her set up somewhere else. Instead, she closed her mouth and probably tried to raise an eyebrow but the swelling prevented it. "Uh, Mikey? Is that a costume?" She asked, her voice wavering. She looked him up and down, scrutinizing him.

Maybe the black eyes were keeping her from seeing too well. He doubted it as the woman started to walk around him. "Becca?" Sara asked the girl, surprised.

"He's _not_ in a costume." Becca stated, sure of her findings as she stood back in front of Mikey. Mikey stood completely still, amazed. Sara had been the only other person to react like this. Then the woman jabbed a finger into her cheek. She yowled and Mikey jumped in surprise. "I'm not dreaming." Another statement. Becca scrunched her face, an impressive move considering the swelling there. Then she stood on her tiptoes and touched his face. She was just tall enough to reach his cheeks and even though it startled him, he stood still. "You're real," she said, amazed. "You're a turtle, right?" She withdrew her hands. "I mean… uh…"

"Yeah," Mikey said, breathless. "I am." He stood there, locked in place and not looking away. She was a little shorter than Sara was and her hair was a golden blond that caught the light. Her eyes were a deep blue that lightened around the iris to the color of a swimming pool. Her frame was small and besides the bruising, she looked like a china doll with fair skin. Amazement at this fearless woman sparked something inside of him.

"Becca," Sara said softly. "We need to get you somewhere safe. These guys won't stop coming back here until they have you, do you have anywhere to go?"

"No… My dad kicked me out a month ago." Becca said as she finally turned away from Mikey. "Didn't you say 'guys' by the way?" Becca asked but then turned to Mikey. "Are there more of you?"

"Nah, honey, there's only one me," Mikey joked instantly when she almost smiled he saw two dimples form beside the corners of her mouth. "But I do have brothers."

"Are they-"

"Sure are," Mikey cut in for her. He knew that question by heart. "Do you want to meet them?"

"Sure," Becca laughed softly. Mikey caught the glare that Sara was giving him but ignored her. He couldn't take his eyes off of Becca.

*)O(*

A/N: Hey, I know I said that this would be out a day after System Malfunction ended but I couldn't get it right with the way I had it down at first so I spent a whole day going -… um no… wait, wait, yeah, that will work… damn it, no it wont, what if I try this?- and pissing myself off. I hope it's long enough to make up for that and that you guys liked it! PLEASE REVIEW!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hey guys! Hope you guys are liking this story so far. Please remember to review and to keep showing love! Good news- I'm willing and able to do stories on request now. Drop me an idea for a short story/ one shot in my PM box and if I like it, I'll give you a shout out and write on the idea. I'm happy to see what you guys come up with and to get just a little outside of my head for writing ideas.

*)O(*

Leo frowned. Any human that wasn't instantly afraid of them left him suspicious. He'd accepted that normal human behavior to fear anything that was new and unexplained. So this Becca woman, who was poking and prodding Mikey while he stood like a statue and struck poses, unnerved him greatly. He'd understood quickly that Sara was like Donnie, smarter and quicker to catch on and to be able to comprehend that they were people faster than most others. Becca on the other hand seemed pretty much like any of the other humans they'd encountered.

Her acceptance left him with questions, but he opted to just observe her for now, to continue to treat her like any other victim. They would sort out where she would go, which would preferably be outside of the city and convince her to never speak of them again. If she refused, they would give her some of Donnie's serum. They would convince her, while she was basically mesmerized, that this had all been a dream. That she'd simply had her apartment broken into, ingrain that she wasn't safe here.

Unfortunately, it looked like Mikey had other plans. Leo was sure that his littlest brother was flirting up a storm with Becca. He tease and joked, not out of the ordinary, but the way he was posturing for the woman left his intentions much too clear.

He couldn't exactly fault Mikey though. It wasn't every day that they came across anyone who accepted them, even if they'd just saved their life. Rarely there were humans that would be able to tolerate being around them, and even fewer who could become friends and family. Leo didn't believe that this woman would become either. He wanted to be done with her as soon as possible. The only thing stopping him was the genuine smile on Mikey's face.

He'd known Mikey hadn't been his normal perky self for a while, but he didn't know why and Mikey hadn't come to him. Seeing him smiling like he was at Becca was the only thing keeping Leo in check. Mikey obviously trusted this woman, somewhat. Leo would respect his brother for now, but they needed to get out of here soon.

*)O(*

Becca was swirling around him, asking questions, and Mikey couldn't have been happier that he'd started working out with Raph. For the first time ever he was honestly proud of his body. He emphasized his reactions when Becca touched him and smiled at her, amazed at her curiosity. He could tell she wasn't completely comfortable with his brothers, mostly Raph and Leo. Leo's leader glare was getting to her and Raph sheer size seemed to cow her. He lost her attention for a moment when Donnie embraced Sara and they exchanged a quick kiss.

He smirked at her astonished look. "You guys are together?" She asked. He could hear and see the shock in her voice but he didn't pick up on any disgust. "Yeah, we're engaged, actually," Sara beamed, untying her mask and wrapping it around the top of her thigh. Donnie gave a satisfied grin and swayed a little with Sara when she stood up, both of them facing Becca and Mikey. "You guys are getting married? Oh my gosh, that's so cool. How did you guys meet?"

Sara laughed a little then said, "Kinda like this, actually. But I kicked my bad guys' asses and I punched Donnie." Mikey laughed as Becca's mouth dropped open and she sputtered trying to think of something to say. "It hurt, too," Donnie supplied with a laugh. Mikey was familiar with the warning signs of jealousy and he cut in, trying to win back Becca's attention. "You should see her when she first knocked Raph on his shell, Sis is awesome, I'm telling you." Becca looked to him and the Leo. "She kicked his but?" She said pointing to Leo. Everyone let out a laugh, except Leo. Becca turned red and Mikey jumped in. "Nah, that's Leo. He's Raph," he said and shoved a thumb at Raph.

Raph threw up his hands as the mistake was corrected and mumbled something about not ripping Sara's shirt ever again. Through the bruising Mikey had to admit she could get pretty wide-eyed as she looked between Raph and Sara. "Banshee kicked _his ass_?" She said again and this time even Leo chuckled. Sara turned red this time and she put in her two cents. "Sara, Becca, my real name's Sara."

"I'm sorry to interrupt all the festivities, but we need to go through the procedure and get her relocated." Leo said as if he was completely put off after a spurt of humor. Mikey frowned heavily at him. He accepted Leo as their leader, but damn, couldn't he see how awesome this was right now? Instead of looking to Leo, Becca turned around to look at him. "Procedure?" She asked, now frightened. Hesitant, Mikey reached out to touch her shoulder. "You know that you can't ever tell anyone about us, right?"

Becca frowned but nodded. "I mean it, Becca, you can never tell anyone, not your mom and dad, none of your bestest of friends, no one, ever." Mikey looked into her eyes, hoping she would understand. "Okay, Mikey," she said softly.

"Promise?" He asked her. He needed to hear her say it. She nodded. She gave a small smile. "I promise, Mikey." He felt her lean into his hand and suddenly his body felt shaky. "So where are we going?" She said with a smile.

"Not 'we'." Leo practically sneered as he said, "You."

Mikey felt the urge to punch the living shit out of Leo. Becca again looked between him and Sara, searching for help and information. Mikey caved a little bit and got Becca's attention again. "Leo is our leader, Becca." Mikey told her, agitated. "It's his job to keep us all safe, and sometimes he can be a little rude when he meets someone new. It's just because we have a lot of people who want to hurt us and the people close to us." Best to get the truth out there, Mikey thought, although the glare from Leo let him know Leo had gotten the insult.

"Oh," Becca said, surprised. Sara stepped in. "You said that you don't have any family, right?"

"Well, my dad and brother are still kicking it but Dad kicked me out."

"So you can't go to him then?" Sara softened.

"No," Becca's solemn answer came. Mikey felt a pang in his heart. He wouldn't know what to do if Splinter turned him aside. The thought itself was scary. "Do you have any money saved up?" Sara asked.

"No, but I do have this place rented out for another two months… My dad didn't send me off with much money…" Becca's voice was getting tight and he looked to Sara. Usually he would feel bad for even thinking of asking her for money. For Becca, though, he was willing to consider it.

Sara met his eyes and nodded. Mikey's hope fell when Sara looked to Leo though. Becca's head spun between them all. She was aware that they were communication without words but was lost to the conversation. Leo frowned. Sara glared. Raph grunted with some amusement while Donnie stood back and watched critically. Sara put her hands on her hips and shot daggers at Leo with her eyes. Leo stared back, not giving in. Finally, the silence was broken as Sara, clearly now in a rage stomped over to Leo. "She is a victim, an INNOCENT!" Sara barked and Mikey watched as Leo was caught off guard. He was a little too, he hadn't noticed her temper flaring to this point during the showdown.

"Sorry to bring this up," Sara tossed to Becca with a hint of sympathy before turning back to Leo. "She was almost RAPED last night. Look at her, Leo! She's been scarred out of her fucking MIND! Purple Dragons broke into her place, ransacking it, with a gun in their possession! She called me, panicked and needing help! You cannot dictate that the help she's going to get is going to end here! Hell, she's less of a threat than _I_ was when you guys took me in!" Sara raged. Leo, to Mikey's surprise, had the decency to almost look ashamed.

"She's right," Raph barked. "This girl here was spooked so bad she threw a katana into a door, Leo." Leo looked to Donnie for help but Donnie made a 'Sorry, dude, you're on your own here,' gesture by picking up his shoulders and opening his hands to the ceiling and putting them back down. Leo looked at Becca and Mikey put both of his hands on her shoulders as she stood with her back to him. Leo took a step and started on a second when Becca jumped a step back. "I-I'm sorry!" She squeaked.

Hearing the fear in Becca's voice set Mikey off and he pulled her against his plastron. Somehow a more irrational part of his brain than was normal, declared that Leo was a threat and needed to be dealt with before he took another step. Mikey growled a deep and low warning.

*)O(*

Leo, the one with the two katana and the blue mask, had taken a step towards her and she'd almost lost her shit. She'd rushed to apologize, trying to make up for whatever ground she had been trespassing on and took a step backwards, closer to Mikey. It was weird how Leo scared the living shit out of her, but not Mikey. Well, that was until a menacing growl came from behind her as she was tugged against something hard.

Leo jerked his head up and seemed utterly amazed at the sound that came from Mikey. Rebecca sure was. She wasn't versed in turtle sounds but it sure sounded like a warning to her. Or a threat, she added. Leo blinked, looked down to her and mumbled something as he closed his eyes and released his fist at his sides. "No," Leo sighed. "I'm sorry." She wouldn't call the next breath a sigh, it was too pointed, like one someone would use to calm themselves. "Fine, Code O'Neil," Leo said exasperated.

Banshee- er- Sara, who was poised to intervene had a smirk on her face and high-fived Raph who also had a smirk on his face. Donnie, Rebecca was coming to understand, was the calm one in the group. Seemed odd since Rebecca thought that the calm one should have been the leader but then she remembered what Mikey said about Leo being rude around new people. "What the hell is Code O'Neil?" She asked plainly. Mikey squeezed her shoulders and she had to crane her next back to look at him as he leaned over her a little. "It means that Leo is going to stop being an ass now," he teased.

"We still need to get us out of here," Leo stated. Everyone seemed to synch back up and Rebecca was completely confused. "Let's go ahead and get you a weekend bag packed, m'kay?" Sara said to her. Obviously, she was leaving, she just didn't know where to. She wasn't getting an answer to that question, though. When Sara opened her drawer, she felt heat swim up her neck and start to attack her cheeks. "I-um- All my clothes are in my laundry baskets." She admitted.

Sara bustled with her, packing a couple changes of clothes into a luggage bag. Rebecca silently thanked Sara for being there. She kept up little conversation, answering most of Rebecca's questions but pointedly ignoring all of the questions pertaining to where they were going. Then one time, almost like an afterthought, Sara asked if Rebecca had any pets. "Do the birds at the park count?" Rebecca answered with a laugh, gaining one from Sara, too. "Any plants then?"

"No…"

"We'll be able to come back, maybe one more time, so grab anything that is important to you, okay?"

This is what it took for everything that had happened to sink in. She was leaving and she wouldn't be coming back, or when she did, this wouldn't be her place anymore. She was going to lose everything that was here. Rebecca looked around, worried to leave anything at all behind. She'd worked hard to get all the things that she had. All the money her dad had given her had been earned through her job for him, money he hadn't given to her when she got paid. She'd had saved some money but most of it went to her bike and other material things like her clothes, cell phone, and jewelry. She'd had no idea that she'd be kicked out by her dad and it was happening again. She was being told to pack a bag and leave as soon as possible.

Rebecca was one for adventure. She loved going for runs through the park, hikes in the woods, mountain climbing, things of that nature. She thought that she was always up for anything unexpected, but this was threatening to shatter her world like a snow globe falling off the mantle. The fragility of her world was unnerving.

"Becca?" Sara said, pulling Rebecca back to reality. She wouldn't be broken that easily, she told herself. "H-How much space do we have in the car," Becca asked, taking another look around. Sara laughed before smothering the sound behind her hand and took a more serious position. "We're not using a car," Sara clarified.

"Then how are we getting to wherever in the hell we're going?"

"We're taking the high road," Sara joked again but the humor was lost on Rebecca. "Uh, we'll be running on the rooftops, one of the guys will carry you. You…You'll have to be blindfolded," Sara said sadly. Blindfolded? Seriously? Rebecca screamed inside of her head. "How is that going to work with my face like this," Rebecca asked, worried.

"We'll tie it loose, but it's just a precaution. You have to understand the way the guys think. They have lived in the shadows their whole lives. They only have a few friends that are closer to family and they can't put them at risk for just one person. I've been there, honey," Sara added, a little softer, "I-I have a fierce _aversion_ to blindfolds but Donnie held me tight and I made it there in one piece. You'll be just fine."

"Of course she will be, I'm going to carry her," Leo said evenly.

Um, hell to the fucking no, Rebecca thought quickly. If she had to stay here and face another break-in or go roof hoping, blindfolded, with Leo she would choose door one, please. "No way," Mikey protested. Rebecca agreed. "Oh, really," Leo sneered. Beside her on the floor, Sara sighed. "Why don't you just tell us who you want to carry you, Becca? Save these two from going at each other."

"Mikey," Rebecca answered quickly. Raph scared her way too much, Donnie would probably be carrying Sara, and if it was between Leo and Mikey, Mikey would win. Mikey did a victory arm pump and winked at her. Mikey would probably win every time, Rebecca thought to herself.

After gathering all of her things up, which included her 'carry on' that had her clothes, cell phone charger and a pair of extra shoes inside, and her jewelry box with all of her legal papers stuffed inside, Rebecca was ready. She had her purse strung around her shoulder and looked to Mikey, worried. He smiled at her, reassuring her that everything was going to be okay. Then he reached behind his head and untied his little strip of orange fabric. Her blindfold, she realized. She stood still as he tied it around her eyes, the knot on the side of her head so she couldn't see.

"I'm going to pick you up now, okay?" All she could do was nod. She could feel him next to her. His body was close, he had only a faint musty scent and his body gave off heat that pulled her closer to him. When his hand touched her leg, she stopped herself from jumping. His other hand grabbed her ribs, right below her breast and she worried he would grab her by accident. "Ally-op," he said as he lifted her up. Rebecca fought the urge to protest as she came up off the floor. Mikey's arms felt overly large and steady. He didn't grunt when he picked her up and after cradling her head on his bicep he pulled her closer to him.

She didn't know the name of the chest plate on turtles, and she made a small note to ask Sara sometime; but that sucker hurts when you're sandwiched against it. She pulled her arm free and Mikey relaxed his grip a little. This position wasn't any better though and she struggled trying to find a good position for her arm. "Hold onto my shell," Mikey told her softly. Fumbling, she felt his face then reached back and grabbed the top of his shell. This was much more comfortable as he lifted her a bit higher in his arms. "I'm going to jump a lot, but I promise you won't fall and I won't let go of you, Becca."

"You better not," she said, breathless. Mikey chuckled and she could feel the vibration it caused through his plate thing in the front. "Yes, ma'am," he replied and then started moving.

At first, it was just walking, and he told her they had to get to the roof first. She stayed quiet, listening, and feeling every move. "You ready?" He asked suddenly.

"No," she squeaked.

"Hold on," Mikey whooped and she could tell he was running now. She wasn't jostled. It felt like a hard sway from side to side. Cold air, which hadn't been too bad before now, stung her face, and she buried her head practically in Mikey's neck to fend off the cold. "Last chance to quit," he stated. Rebecca let go of her purse with her free hand and brought it around to grab onto Mikey's shell with the other hand. She squeezed tightly. If she was going down, so was he, she determined. Then she felt it. He jumped, the upwards motion startling her. Once they arched and started going down, she felt her ass trying to climb up through her mouth. She let out a squeak and clenched Mikey's shell in her hands. The land was smooth and she barely felt anything besides being a little heavier than a moment ago. Then he was running again. Then he jumped again.

She'd had no warning this time and she let out a noise that was almost a scream, almost a gasp. "Fucking shit muffins!" She gasped when they touched down again. "Warn me, please!" Mikey's laugh was loud. "Ready," he let out and another jump came. No, not ready, never ready, Rebecca hissed inside her head. How much longer did she have of this, she wondered. "It gets easier the more you do it," Sara said, obviously closer than Rebecca would have thought. "Does Donnie give you any-"

"Ready?" Mikey interjected then jumped.

"Fucking warning?" Rebecca finished.

"Not really. I don't piggy back too much anymore."

"You run?"

"Yeah, it's taken me months to be able to keep up during normal runs."

"That's just cause you're slow," Mikey teased.

"It's cause you'd outrun a damn cheetah," Sara tossed back. Mikey forgot to warn her and she felt the amazing sensation of her innards trying to exit via her mouth yet again. "Warning," she hissed.

"Sorry," Mikey said softly. The next dozen jumps were all preempted by a 'Ready' and she soon relaxed her hold on his shell.

When they stopped, she was curious. Had they arrived already? The sound of something scraping alarmed her and she was set down on her feet. "I'm gonna drop you down to Raph," Mikey instructed.

"Drop me down? Down where? Why do I have to be dropped?" Rebecca panicked.

"Hey," Sara cut in as Mikey started to talk. "I did the same thing. I know it's scary, but Raph will catch you, okay?" Then like an after thought she added, "Just keep your arms up." Rebecca debated with herself. She couldn't jump cause of the blindfold. She couldn't turn back because they'd made it clear that more people would be back to hurt her. All she could do was trust them. "Fine, but," She raised her voice. "If you drop me, Raph, so help me I'll find a way to kick your ass!" Everyone broke out in laughter. She smiled to herself. "She sounds just like you," a voice said. It had to be Donnie. She wasn't familiar with him yet. "Please, no," Raph's voice sounded distance as he interjected with good humor. Mikey's hands came around her waist. "Ready?"

"No." It was useless.

He picked her up and counted to one. It should have been three because he'd said 'on three'. She let out a short yell as she fell. New, bigger hands gripped her waist painfully before releasing her. Rebecca stumbled a bit before a hand righted her. "You did great." Confirmation that it was Mikey was all that was needed. She drew back and punched him, landing a glancing blow on his chest plate. "You said three, asshole," she hissed and shook her hand. He laughed and took her hand. "You can walk from here."

Once she got her wits back, she took in a breath and almost gagged. Sewers, they were definitely in the sewers. Instantly every movie with a scene like this came to her mind and fretted about having to get into anything remotely wet or squishy. She held tightly to Mikey's hand and walked slowly. He'd building jumped with her in his arms, dropped her into the sewers safely but the idea of stepping on a pile of poop scared her worse than anything else. "It's okay," he told her. "The walkways are clear. Most of the water is clear most of the time."

"It's the sewers," she said, a little disgusted.

"I know, but once we get to the lair, it won't smell too bad."

"Don't listen to him," Sara said somewhere behind her. "Four guys live there, it smells worse," she joked.

"Not since we had it painted," Mikey defended. "Five coats of that paint and the smell can't get through."

"Looking at cement all day was boring. You weren't complaining when you started using every inch like a canvas." Sara tossed back. Rebecca felt safe inside of their conversation. It was clear that they were all close. It reminded her of her family.

A couple twist and turns later, Rebecca was sure she wouldn't be able to find her way out on her own. "Just one minute," Mikey said and then the sound of something sliding against something else could be heard. Mikey let go of her hand and she felt cold. Defensively she crossed her arms over her chest. Gentle fingers untied the mask from her eyes, and when it fell away, her eyes opened. She was blinded for a moment. Rubbing her eyes, she tried to see something. Mikey pushed her along, into wherever they were and Rebecca could make out a living room. She swept the 'lair', taking in the small part of the kitchen that she could see and three distinct hallways that lead to who knew where.

The walls had been painted, but it was the paintings that covered the walls that drew her farther in. All paintings, murals, clung to the walls and were so realistic that she reached out to touch one of a beach. No clear lines existed between the paintings and on the edges of the beach a new scene blended a few inches away. A sandy bank of a river that held two large boulders just left of the middle was held within a forest. Looking up you could see a large expanse of blue sky that went up the ceiling. Rebecca craned her neck back to see the gradually darkening sky leading to the ceiling full of stars and… three moons? She passed it as an artistic venture. More and more paintings covered the walls. Stepping to get closer to another one, she bumped something. A vine was held in a pot and she followed the tendrils to the painting of the forest where it was used as a 3-D medium that she'd assumed was painted.

Remembering what Sara had said she turned to Mikey. "You painted these?"

"Yep!" The pride was evident in his voice.

"How did you guys end up down here?" Rebecca wondered as she looked around some more.

"Come over here and sit down, the guys will explain everything," Sara prompted. Rebecca followed the instructions and sat down in the middle of the couch. Mikey sat on the floor in front of her and their amazing story began to flow, filling in questions she'd been wondering. All the stories they told her made her feel like she was listening to a fantasy novel. Leo and Raph had taken up residence on the second couch and Sara and Donnie had disappeared somewhere before coming back. All the while Rebecca listened to Mikey telling their story.

He was so energetic. Half of the story was told with his hands. He laughed often. He smiled even more than he laughed. He had a warm spirit. It seemed like he didn't know what a stranger was. If he'd been human than he would have been the prom king, for sure.

Finally, time had come and Leo cleared his throat. "You need to meet Master Splinter, now." Oh great, she thought, I get to meet a giant rat.

*)O(*

A/N: So, how are you guys liking it? Drop a review, please! Help meh! XD


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks to everyone that has reviewed this so far; you guys are awesome and fuel me to write more and more every day. To feed my stubborn curiosity, could you guys answer in the reviews, or pm, who would buy a book if I wrote one? I've got a few mostly done on my computer, but I'm worried about sending them off to the publishers. Any feedback is appreciated! Now, on with the story!

*)O(*

The new girl was weird. No screaming, no fainting, no running, nothing at all. Raph had to admit she looked like absolute hell though. Her face was all messed up, and he'd heard about Sara and Mikey's run in with the girl. He didn't think she'd have this much damage done to her. Besides her face being the way it was right then, she had a nice body. She wasn't super tall like Sara, and she wasn't muscled up; she had a little bit of meat on her bones. From what he could tell, she was pretty average. Maybe once her face cleared up he'd see something in her.

Mikey saw something in her though. Raph's little brother lit up like New York on New Years night around the blond. The darkness he'd been shrouding himself in for the past couple of weeks was gone, diminished in front of this girl. Raph wondered if they would end up like Sara and Donnie. Maybe the girl would end up being more like April. Know them but choose not to be with them, maybe she would be like that.

Another thing Raph noticed was Leo's complete dislike for the girl. It was almost like the girl had pissed in Leo's cheerios. Leo had met her at the same time Raph did, and Raph didn't see anything wrong while Leo seemed to loathe her. Maybe Leo saw something that Raph didn't. Whatever was up was going to be resolved soon. Becca was on her way to talk to Splinter. He knew he'd be called on later to give his side of the whole thing.

Till then, he just had to watch how things would turn out. He hated waiting. He could probably get in a couple of sets before going to talk to his dad. Might as well, seeing how patrol tonight was clearly out of the question.

*)O(*

Splinter sat waiting. Sara and Donnie had come to tell him what had happened. He'd overheard most of the commotion earlier. He'd been worried but things seemed to work out. Not counting the fact that there was a stranger in their home now. He'd listened to Sara's side of things. His daughter seemed adamant, enough to challenge Leo over the matter. Sara bounced around the idea that since the woman had first met Mikey while intoxicated, and thinking he was some kind of superhero, had softened the idea for her enough not to freak out.

Splinter was skeptical at best. He knew exactly what he and his sons appeared to be to humans. Sara brought him up short, recalling her first interaction with his sons. 'We might be one in a million, but there are eight million people living in New York, she might be the second one,' Sara had pled for this Becca girl.

Now Splinter was caught in a mental impasse. His history with humans had been full of fear. Then came April and Casey, and a few others that they simply didn't see anymore. He agreed with Sara on the fact that not every human was out to get him and his sons. Many more were after them though. He still hadn't been able to scold Sara on her actions against the Foot, but they were still barely operating. The Purple Dragons were still a common threat. Many people wanted to hurt them, but maybe, just maybe, this human could become like Sara.

Something about that helped to clear his mind. He could be talking to another potential daughter. His fur bristled at that thought. His family could keep on growing. One day they might be able to keep themselves together, even if he was gone. "Don't think of her as a human," Mik's voice alerted him to her presence.

She stood with the door open, looking at him softly. "Please, come in, Mik." He motioned to a pillow next to him on the ground. The female rat with distinctive markings walked to him slowly. She didn't speak again until she was seated. "You're thinking of her as a human, aren't you?"

"Indeed." Splinter confessed. His silence often left his sons and daughter confused and squirming. Mik seemed to be able to cut into his thoughts easier than a katana through butter. Mik folded part of her long caramel colored dress over her lap, a small layer of protection in the chilly room. "Think of her as a person. People, as you've said, are neither good nor evil at the beginning." Mik advised. He smirked. It was very rare that he had his own proverbs thrown back at him. "I value you're insight, Mik. Would you sit with me when she comes?"

"Yes, Splinter." Mik nodded. She gave him a small smile and he returned it. Having Mik with him would probably distract him enough not to worry too much. Whenever she was around him, he could feel something inside of him calling out. Even more so than in meditation, he found an odd, fluttering peace around her. He wanted to reach out and touch her, ask her if she knew the meaning of this feeling, but the door opened again and he watched as Becca entered.

*)O(*

There wasn't just one giant rat, there were two. One was larger, brown and grey with some white and wearing a kimono. The other was white with red stripes coming across her cheeks and down the top of her head. Obviously female and wearing a brown dress that was folded over her legs as she sat down on a pillow next to the larger rat. Splinter and Mik, Becca told herself as she recalled the stories she'd just finished hearing. Splinter was the guys' dad and teacher. Mik had been Sara's pet and mutated in this very lair.

Still the sight of these two freaked her out. Turtles she had been okay with. Rats? She'd grown up being scared of them, and right now there wasn't any table tall enough to get away. "Miss Becca," Splinter said. "Please come join us." Leo was right behind her and if she thought that she could have ran away, she would have. _In through your nose, out through your mouth_ , she chanted. _These aren't normal rats_ , she tried to tell herself. _Well no shit_ , another part of her argued back. _These are people_ , she tried to fight back against that scared part of her.

The female rat, Mik, reached out and pushed at the male, Splinter. "You've gone and scared the poor girl," Mik teased. Splinter looked baffled. Mik pushed herself up to her feet and started to walk to Rebecca. "Come along, honey, I'll keep you safe from him," she teased, opening her hand to Rebecca with a smile. She showed no teeth and the smile helped to calm Rebecca.

Then she saw the hand. Or rather, paw with long, sharp looking claws… all painted a different color. Luckily, that made the paw a little less frightening. "And here I thought we were going to meet someone as fearless as Leo and Sara," Mik teased. The teasing helped as it reminded her of Mikey. Rebecca reached out slowly and shook Mik's hand, looking at her in her pure red eyes. "Sorry, I know it doesn't make sense, but I'm scared of normal… um…" She stopped, unsure.

"Rats." Mik laughed. "Yes, honey, we're rats. I'm sure the guys have told you their story, correct?" Mik asked as she pulled Rebecca across the room to sit her down on a mat. Once seated, Rebecca took a look around. There wasn't much to see, a straw lined floor with a low table and pillows to sit on. It looked Oriental and warm, but the chill in the room was already eating at her fingers. Mik took up a pot and poured some tea in a cup and passed it to her.

Rebecca regarded the cup. It and the pot looked clean, same as the rest of the lair. An herbal smell with a lingering of something flowery came from the liquid. If they were going to poison me, it would have already happened, she confirmed before tasting the drink carefully. It was almost too hot. The bittersweet tea was actually pretty good.

"You know our story," Splinter's voice was like smoke. It was light yet heavy, carrying a weight to it. "I am interested in learning yours." His voice was comforting. Her heart was beating hard and it started to settle. "Well, I meant Mikey and Sara last night-"

"I already know that part, my dear." Splinter cut her off. "I wish to know you. Tell me of your family, your friends."

"Oh," Rebecca mumbled.

Taking a deep breath, she started telling her life story. First, she sorted out that her name was Rebecca, not Becca, but that she didn't mind being called Becca. She'd grown up with her mom and dad. They'd always been well of, her dad owned his own business, and her mom owned a couple galleries. She had an older brother, Thomas. She was six years younger than him so even though he was never particularly mean to her, she also wasn't very connected to him. Her mom and dad had gotten divorced when she was ten; her brother went to live with her mom, so she didn't see him for months at a time. Then her mom had died from cancer when Rebecca was eighteen. She'd went to private school her whole life and had just finished her beginning courses for a business management degree.

She'd worked at her father's office as a secretary since she was sixteen. Recently, he'd kicked her out. She admitted that she'd been blindsided. Her dad had told her that she was old enough to live on her own. She'd been told to pack up and leave. He'd kept money back from her paychecks, money that she'd never been allowed to touch, and that was all that she'd had. She had stayed in motels for a couple of weeks before moving into her apartment. She'd paid up months in advance just so she wouldn't have to be homeless. Then she'd went for that interview yesterday and that was when everything had started to come apart.

"What happened today in your apartment?" Splinter asked. Rebecca recounted everything she could remember. She rubbed her cheek, remembering how afraid she'd been. She admitted that she did still have a couple things she would like to get if she could, but they weren't necessary. "I swear, as soon as I find a job, I'll give you rent, and I'll move out as soon as I can. Can I please stay?" She finished, choking on the question. Splinter, Mik, and Leo had been quiet while she had spoke, except for Splinter's one question.

Mik moved and Rebecca was astounded to find herself in a hug. "We will have to talk about this as a family, but you are more than welcome to spend the night. In the morning I will have an answer to your question." That was the best that she was going to get. Not a yes, but not a no. Some fear eked out of her. If she couldn't stay here, where could she stay? She only had enough money for a couple of nights at a motel. She was weeks away from getting a paycheck, even if she went to work at a fast food place. "Come now, dear," Mik said quietly. "Let's go get you ready for bed. I'm sure that you're exhausted." The way Mik spoke reminded Rebecca of her mom. Biting her lip and feeling just that, exhausted, Rebecca let Mik guide her away.

*)O(*

Leo faced his father. Splinter eyed him. He knew he was showing what he felt. Leo hung his head before he started to speak.

*)O(*

Donnie examined a cell phone they'd lifted off one of the thugs that had broke into Becca's place. Laid out in clear font. _Fuck that little bitch up, make her pay for what she did to me. I don't care what you do to her, just don't get caught. If you do get caught, I didn't send you there. Have fun with the little whore, here's her address._ So plain and cold on the phone screen Donnie felt uneasy. The guy was definitely mad at Becca. Bad news was that it was a burner phone. He couldn't trace it back to Becca's potential boss at all. The only way he would be able to pinpoint Liam as being behind it all was if he could catch Liam using the cell phone. There was just enough information to hurt Becca but not enough to endanger the man himself. Donnie cursed softly under his breath.

Sara was raging. She'd went to look for Raph to fight with. Donnie was still trying to find anything on Becca but wasn't pulling up anything besides some private school yearbooks and registrations. Then he found something that made him laugh. There, in black and white, was Becca. She was holding up two handfuls of assorted videogames. _Teen Girl Wins Local Tournament._ Headlined the page. Even in black and white, Donnie could see she was blushing. The large, cartoonish glasses on her face were what threw him though. He didn't know if they were part of a costume to keep her identity secret or if she really needed them, but they were ridiculous. Reading farther in, they were part of a costume, but she'd been ousted once the media had showed up.

Donnie, chuckling to himself, gave up. She seemed like a normal girl from a privileged family. So she had a mild video game addiction. Her and Mikey would get along just fine. Donnie paused for a moment. She seemed the most comfortable around Mikey. He could see the tension between her and Leo, though he didn't know why. She seemed slightly scared of Raph, but Donnie could understand that. He had had little contact with her, himself. Sara was adamant about helping the girl. He had asked Sara about it, but he'd only gotten the response of her being the second one in two million.

Shaking his head, he got up. If they weren't going to patrol then he could get to checking the wiring on his surveillance cameras. He'd probably be called on to tell his findings before long. He might be able to find some time to spend with Sara alone tonight after she got done kicking Raph's shell. Thinking about his fiancé in his bed, Donnie walked away from his desk.

*)O(*

Mikey was the last to go to talk to Splinter. Taking his seat, Mikey looked to his master with mild defiance. He wanted Becca to stay here. After she'd left this room she'd went straight to bed. Mik had warned him to stay away from her and to let her get some rest. He was bummed. Mikey liked her. He was willing to vouch for her.

"She seems like a nice girl," Splinter spoke. Confused, Mikey blinked. "What do you think of her, Michelangelo?"

"She's awesome!" Mikey smiled widely.

"Hmm, how so," Splinter baited. Mikey fell for the trap. Waving his hands he started, "Are you kidding? She has a great sense of humor, she's pretty brave, and she's totally not scared of us." Mikey went to say more but Splinter held up a hand, stopping him.

"Do you think that your personal view of her has clouded your judgment?" Mikey didn't say anything. He sat there for a moment. Usually, he would have blurted out an answer. Normally he would be dismissed quickly, his opinion stated but not taken seriously. He didn't want to ruin this for Becca. Mikey had to take this seriously. "Yes, Sensei, it probably has." He said honestly. "She is those things though. She laughs at my jokes. She was almost raped but went over and kicked the guys… um… yeah… and then when she realized this wasn't a mask, she stood her ground." Splinter stared at him. It wasn't an authoritative stare or even one of disapproval. "Besides that, she was totally going to take on three armed dudes with a katana." Mikey added. Splinter stroked his chin. He seemed to be thinking, so Mikey sat as still as he could.

"You've impressed me, my son. I am proud of you." Splinter said softly. Mikey held his breath. They didn't often here those words come out of their father's mouth, so Mikey drank it up. "You understand that your perspective is clouded by the feelings that you have for the girl, yet you are still able to see her for who she is. Your honesty is appreciated." Mikey bowed his head in thanks. "You may go. I am going to meditate on this. I will have an answer in the morning."

Mikey left his father and went to go to bed. He was tired. His stomach rumbled and he sighed. Feed the monster, then sleep. He wondered if Becca was hungry. He wondered if he should stay up to get in another workout. Maybe he should keep them up. He didn't want to end up like Raph; Becca seemed scared of his older brother. A sandwich and a few rounds on Mario before bed then, he decided.

Walking into the living room, Mikey could see something moving in the shadows around the T.V. He peered into the darkness and wondered whom it was and why they were messing around instead of grabbing the remote. Then the screen flashed and Becca's silhouette was defined. "Ah-ha, got you," she said in a moment of victory. "Now the remote," she muttered. She turned around to look at the couch and caught sight of him. She froze and stood up. She put her hands up, as if she was trying to show she wasn't armed. "Sorry," she squeaked.

He kept his eyes on her but told her, "The remotes on the arm of the couch." He started to walk to her. She looked between him and the remote. "I-I just wanted to play a game, I'll go back to bed."

"Chill, dudette, what do you want to play?" Mikey hadn't known she played video games.

"You're not mad?"

"Are you kidding? A pretty girl who likes to play video games? Who could be mad about that?" In the blue screen glow of the TV, Mikey could see her blush. She grabbed the remote and turned the TV so it would show the game screen. Then she seemed lost again. Mikey set his plate down on the table and went to grab the controllers. He handed one over and she smiled, looking away from him. They sat down on the couch and Mikey took a bite of his sandwich before going to his content screen, telling her to pick one. Before she could make a selection, her stomach growled loudly.

Mikey blushed this time. He hadn't even offered her anything. He tore his sandwich in two and handed her the half he hadn't bitten off of yet. Becca looked at it then him before taking it. "Thank you," she whispered. Mikey felt ashamed. She was their guest and no one had made sure she'd eaten or anything. "You're our guest, you don't have to thank me," Mikey confessed.

"Still, thank you, Mikey." Becca waited a moment before taking a bite.

Her face seemed to light up and she took a second bite before she'd finished the first. Then she made a face that he assumed he made when eating pizza. "Oh my god," she said between mouthfuls. "This is so good." She took another bite and seemed to realize at the same time as Mikey did, that he was staring. She pulled back from the sandwich and chewed slower. "Sorry, uh, do you want something to drink?" She couldn't speak, so she nodded. "Come with me, I'll show you around the kitchen." He stood up and offered his hand. Hers was so small compared to his. It fit in his palm with her fingers barely peeking out. He led her to the kitchen and stuck his head in the fridge. "So what's your poison?"

"Do you have any Orange Crush?"

"I knew I liked you for a reason," he joked as he pulled out two pops for them. Instantly he was mentally beating himself up for saying it like that. Was he really an idiot? "Drink of the gods, my friend," Becca smiled. Mikey noticed the sandwich. It was almost half-gone. He started to pull out the stuff to make another one. "What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna make another sandwich for you."

"You don't have to do that."

"Oh, so you don't like my cooking?" Mikey teased.

"I-I didn't… I mean…" Mikey faced her while she fumbled for words. "I already told you, you are our guest. If you're hungry then eat, if you want something to drink, then drink." She bit her lip then looked down. Again, Mikey started to beat himself up. He shouldn't have been so mean. He hadn't said it in a mean way though. "Mi casa es tu casa," Mikey added. Becca looked down for a moment longer before speaking. "Could you make it the same as this one, please?"

"No problem," Mikey smiled at her. She watched him, staying quiet except to eat or drink. He was careful to let her see everything he was doing. He didn't want her thinking he was going to poison her or anything. Stacking everything in its proper order, he smirked. She'd finished the first one and was eyeing the second one greedily. She gulped the last of her drink, so as he set the plate on the kitchen table, Mikey grabbed her a refill. She almost choked trying to get room enough around the massive bite to thank him.

"I normally cook for everyone, so you liking it is thanks enough. You want to go back to the game now?" Comforting her, Mikey grinned, holding out a hand again. With her face so bruised, it was astonishing that she could blush so much. Her blush seemed to start on her neck though, not at her cheeks like Sara or April's. He led her back to the couch and grinned when she selected Mario Cart. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into," he warned. "I rule video games, especially Mario Cart." Becca didn't say anything, she just smirked.

They were on the final lap and he was leading. He was rubbing it in, telling her he was going to beat her, when out of nowhere a turtle shell slammed into Mario, his character. He saw Princess Peach soar past him into the finish line. He jumped, throwing up his arms in disbelief as Becca jumped up, letting out a victory dance that resembled the cabbage patch. "When did you get that?" He asked the TV, baffled. Becca started to laugh. Gasping and holding her sides she squeaked, "Since the beginning."

Mikey stood there, trying to figure out what was going on. He turned on her. "You're kidding me." This only made her laugh harder. He loved the sound of it. It resonated inside of him. He held onto the sound, the sound of a wooden wind chime. "Best two out of three," he challenged.

"You're so on!" Becca threw back at him, grinning as widely as she could.

Something inside of Mikey knew then and there. He knew for sure just who she was.

*)O(*

A/N: Just going to leave this area empty.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Time for the unintentional, good natured, fluff to begin… then the hazing, of course.

*)O(*

Rebecca pushed on her pillow, trying to make to more comfortable. It felt like her head was resting on a mushy cinder block. She wondered if she'd fallen asleep on the arm of the couch again. She twisted, laying to face the other way. She shivered and tried to blindly find her throw blanket that she kept on the back of her couch. Her hand hit something hard and she blinked in confusion. A warm tan color engulfed her vision, confusing her some more. Rebecca looked up.

Her body set into panic mode before her mind caught up. She bolted to sitting up, alerting the person she'd just been using as a pillow. Looking at where her head had just been, Rebecca held her breath. Her mind woke up and a name was supplied for the massive turtle who was blinking at her. Mikey jumped, coming off the couch fast enough to scare her again. He gaped at her and Rebecca could only return the favor. The both jumped when the opening screen on the TV did a sudden melody change. They must have fallen asleep while playing.

Mikey yawned and stretched. "Quit that," Rebecca yawned. "Don't you know that stuff is contagious?" His blue eyes seemed dull. He turned off the TV. He was probably a million miles away at the moment. He sat back down on the couch and pulled her into his side. He stretched his neck, as if it was stiff. "Back to sleep," Mikey slurred.

"I'm cold." Mikey held up a finger and pulled a blanket off the back of the couch. He tossed it over her legs then pulled some to cover up his. The blanket was ginormous and she pulled more up to cover her arms. Mikey's arm went back around her shoulders and he tipped his head back. "That can't be comfortable." She advised. He barely opened one eye to look at her. She blushed. The only way they could both be comfortable seemed too sexual.

Finding some courage, she pushed him so he was laying down. Raising the area where he should have had eyebrows, he let her move him. "Scoot back." He followed her instructions. When he was as wedged into the back of the couch as he was going to get, she laid down next to him. "You better not let me fall." His chest plate was hard against her back but she dared not to wiggle. He jimmied his arm under her head. Reaching, he covered them with the blanket again before wrapping his free arm around her middle. He made a dismissive sound on the top of her head. "Let you fall," he mumbled, followed by another sound.

After a few moments, a sensation started in her back. A vibration that ebbed and flowed with Mikey's breathing started. It was almost like the purr of a cat. When she allowed herself to relax, the feeling engulfed her. His arm was much more comfortable than his upper thigh. His arm around her waist held her tight. The rumble that he emitted soothed her. It only took a couple of minutes before she, too, was asleep again.

*)O(*

Walking into the front room, Sara eyed the couch. A large blob was under one of the specialty blankets she'd order. As big as it was, it could have been Raph. Why would Raph have a blond wig, though? Taking a few measured steps, the culprits revealed themselves. Mikey was snoring lightly, holding onto Becca like she was some sort of teddy bear. Becca was fast asleep, propped up on Mikey's arm as she kicked back the heavy blanket. Mikey covered her back up and Sara grinned widely. She was going to get some much needed revenge on Mikey.

She pulled out her cell phone and backed into the hall. She debated for a moment. She clicked the record button. "Hey, I don't know if you'll be staying with us, or not, but if you do, I wanted to be able to show you this later…" Sara opted to give a short intro before sneaking back into the living room. "If you stay," Sara whispered. "I don't know if you'll end up with one of the guys or not. I hope that you can see how good they are, especially this big softy right here." Sara filmed for a couple more moments before turning the camera to herself. "And Mikey, this is payback." She smiled and winked into the camera before stopping the video.  
Tossing one more look to the two on the couch, Sara went to go to the kitchen to get Donnie's coffee started. He was still asleep and she wanted to have a fresh pot ready for him. It was probably best to get something started for breakfast, too. She giggled as her shoulder twinged. She touched the bite mark she'd received last night. Donnie most certainly deserved a hot cup of caffeine when he woke up. Silently, she gave thanks for their room finally being sound proofed.

*)O(*

"Mikey," he heard his name being called. "Mikey," the call came again. He grinned. Becca was calling for him. This was a nice dream. He wondered where it would go. "Mikey, come on, wake up, I have to pee!" That didn't sound like any dream he would be having. He blinked, awake. "Let me go, I have to pee really bad!" Becca squirmed. He let go of her and she rushed to stand up. "Where's the bathroom?" She was hopping from foot to foot and he shook his head before pointing down the right hall. Becca jumped over the back of the couch to get there sooner and Mikey watched her run for it.

He was awake now. He rubbed his face and went to grab something to drink. He stood up and turned to the direction of the kitchen to find Splinter watching him. Mikey froze. He didn't blink, he didn't breathe. He wondered if his heart had taken the hint and stopped beating, too. He stared at his father, not willing to twitch. "Sara has made breakfast. Gather Rebecca after she is done and meet us in the kitchen." Splinter turned away. No inflection in his tone let Mikey know if he was in trouble or not. He simply watched as Splinter walked into the kitchen, noticing everyone else was there.

Mikey gasped for air before scurrying over the couch, just like Becca had. When he got to the door, Becca poked her head out. "Family meeting." Becca's eyes went wide. She bit her lip and looked around nervously. "I'm sure everything is going to be okay."

"Then why do you look even more scared than I do?" Becca sighed then squared her shoulders. "Let's do this." She walked down the hall like she owned the lair. Mikey followed her. They'd had a great time last night. They'd played round after round of Mario Cart. She'd nodded off while waiting on a load screen to finish. Mikey had let her slide from his shoulder to his lap while he played with her hair before falling asleep himself. Then this morning, she'd laid beside him. He could tell she wasn't completely comfortable. It was the fact that she was trying to become that way that resonated inside of him.

He dreaded this family meeting more than she did. It was a fifty-fifty split on whether or not she would stay with them. He didn't want to think about her being anywhere else but with him. He wanted to hear her laugh again. He wanted to fall asleep with her again. He wanted to see her smile. If she had to leave, he'd never see her again. He knew he'd never get another chance like this.

Becca walked into the kitchen before him and he looked around. Everyone's eyes were on Splinter. A tower of pancakes, a stack of bacon, a huge bowl of eggs, a dozen pastries, a loaf of toast, and three different juice boxes sat on the table. Sara had went all out. Two chairs had been left open and Mikey pulled out Becca's chair, ignoring everyone. Mikey didn't look at the food, even though his stomach called out for the feast before him, instead focusing on his dad. He took his seat next to Becca.

"Rebecca," Splinter made her name sound like an announcement. No one spoke. Mikey stared at his dad. Could he hurry it up? "Feel free to stay as long as you'd like." Mikey jumped up, whooping. Sara was right there with him and Raph joined. Leo said something to Becca, but he was actually nice. Mik got up and came around to hug Becca quickly before sitting back down. Mikey turned to Becca and noticed she was crying.

Joy rushed out of him as concern took over. Then she bit her lip as she hiccupped and smiled sadly. "Thank you, thanks all of you." She let out before covering her face with her hand. She might as well have reached inside of his shell and squeezed his heart. He rubbed the top of her hair, making it messier than it already was. "Don't cry, Sara's cooking isn't that bad." Becca let out a choked laugh. Mikey jumped as a piece of jam filled pastry hit him in the face. Sara smirked at him with an empty spoon aimed at him. He let it pass as Becca wiped her eyes and smiled. "Not everyone was born to be a chef, Mikey." Sara threw out. "But at least I'm not Leo." Everyone laughed, well everyone but Becca and Leo, and the tension eased. Mikey reached out and started to make his plate, handing everything to Becca who then passed it along to Donnie. Becca sniffed a few more times, but she had stopped crying.

"While you stay with us, you will be expected to help out around the lair, besides that, we ask nothing of you, so don't worry about paying any rent." Splinter went about explaining their way of life down here to Becca. "Sara will help you adjust as best as you can. For now, your trips up to the surface will be limited and you will still have to be blindfolded. If you need anything, please let any of us know. Leonardo will get you a training schedule set up. I expect you to attend morning training, though you won't have to participate." Splinter paused as he put food on his plate. "While you are with us, I hope that you learn how to protect yourself. A young girl such as you living in this city should know how to deal with miscreants." Splinter put up a finger as Becca went to speak. "You will be given time to heal first." Becca backed down, relieved. "Some of our extended family," Splinter chuckled. "Will be coming over later this evening. They are human and should be able to help you understand us a little better." Mikey relaxed and went to eating while he listened to his dad.

"I'd rather you not sleep on the couch every night though." Mikey and Becca choked on the food they had. "There is a second bed in Mik's room, if you don't mind sharing the room. I believe it's where you were taken last night before you decided to sleep with Mikey." Splinter trailed off as Mikey and Becca both tried to clear their throats, both of them reaching for something to drink. The table exploded in cat calls and good humor. Leo, who was on the other side of Mikey nudged him, giving him a sideways grin. Finally clearing his throat, Mikey rasped, "It wasn't like that at all! We were just playing and-" Another round of laughter followed.

"I'm not like that!" Becca's voice was harsh and she was looking down at her plate. Everyone got quiet. "I wouldn't do something like that!" It was easy to see that she was upset. "It was only a joke, Becca," Mikey soothed. "No one actually meant anything by it."

"Well I didn't find it funny." Becca huffed before attacking her food. Mikey turned back to his own food while Mik tactfully changed topics. Inside, he was a whirlwind of confusion and hurt. Becca was quick to joke around. She usually had a great sense of humor. So was it because of what the joke had implied? Was she appalled at the idea of sleeping with him? It had been clear it was a joke, though. She should have been able to laugh it off. Had something happened to her in her past that made her react like that?

Round and round, Mikey's mind swirled and he fretted on the idea that he was the problem. After a few minutes Becca seemed to return to normal. She even nudged him and gave him a small smile, which Mikey took as a 'sorry'. Mikey tried to think of something else, but it was like he was caught in a downward spiral. Mentally he kept repeating thoughts. _She thinks you're disgusting. Who would like a freak like you. Why would anyone ever like you. You're stupid to think she'd ever fall for you. You'll always be surrounded with people, but always be alone._ Mikey felt sick. He'd always been able to brush these thoughts off. This time they threatened to tear him apart.

"Time for training." Leo huffed as he stood up. Everyone else followed. Mikey stood on reflex, but wasn't paying attention as Becca asked him something. His mind was in turmoil. He moved through the lair with everyone else. Sara had stepped up to talk with Becca when Mikey had shown he wasn't focused on her. When they got inside of the dojo, Mikey's mind seemed to shift. _Show her. Show her that you can protect her. Show her that you're the best here. No one else can have her. You'll fight them all._ He was paired with Raph for the first round.

Becca sat with Sara who would be explaining the matches for her. Mikey stood tall. He kept his gaze even, only locking onto Becca's blatant stare once before staring Raph down. His brother looked comfortable and cocky. Raph cracked his neck and rotated his shoulders. Mikey continued to stare at him as his mind declared he take down this other male.

The elder adopted a wide stance, arms out, ready for a brawl. Mikey stood facing him, not moving. Raph roared then charged, as was his fashion. Mikey side stepped him, but Raph knew he would. Spinning, Raph grabbed Mikey's arm, primed to throw him. Mikey dipped low, using Raph's momentum to place him above where Mikey had just been. Like a pro basketball player, Mikey jumped up. His shoulder connected with Raph's chin, snapping his head back. Mikey let out a snap kick to Raph's plastron before returning to his feet. Raph stumbled back and Mikey dipped low again, sweeping Raph's feet. Raph landed on his carapace with a solid thump.

Raph wasn't done, far from it. Now, Raph was angry. Mikey's talents were stretched but two that he relied on while fighting were speed and being able to read his opponent. Raph got less technical when enraged. He'd throw aside his training in hopes of simply over powering his opponent. He'd get sloppier the longer Mikey toyed with him. Mikey wasn't in the mood to play. Raph flipped over his shell, using the fall to his advantage.

On his feet again, Raph charged. This time it was with a lower stance. He'd try to lift Mikey up and slam him, if he got a hold of him. Mikey let Raph charge him. The moment before Raph made contact, Mikey secured his arms around Raph's waist. Raph hit him like a ton of bricks. Mikey caved under the force but used it to send Raph over his head, slamming them both down onto the mat. Mikey had been ready, holding his breath. When the force came he was able to get his breathing back quickly and roll away. Raph laid on the floor gasping. "Point, Michelangelo." Splinter called. Mikey looked to the girls where Becca was gaping at him. He smiled, smug. That's right, part of him said. Some male part of him was almost satisfied with her awe.

"Donatello." Splinter called. Mikey paced. Donnie would be a lot harder than Raph. Donnie was the most physically weak of them all, but he was smarter than them too. He would already have five different strategies planned out by the time Mikey breathed. Mikey would have to do something unexpected, and fast. If he took too long, Donnie would catch on and he'd end up on his shell. Mikey growled. That wasn't an option here.

Donnie looked from Mikey to Raph then back a couple times. The light in Donnie's eyes sparkled. Donnie had just figured something out. Mikey huffed. Mr. Know-It-All. He'd dominate him. He'd hit him faster than Donnie's big brain could think. Mikey circled his brother. Donnie looked away, over to the girls. He looked at Becca. Mikey growled and ran.

It wasn't the charge Raph would do. Raph wouldn't think to slide down, knock Donnie off his feet. Donnie went down with a huff. Mikey put his foot on his neck. "Point, Michelangelo." Splinter said again. There was annoyance in his fathers voice. Mikey shook and looked to his next challenger. Leo looked back before entering the mat. There was whispering coming from where Raph and Donnie had joined the girls. Mikey didn't dare to look this time. Leo wasn't someone you could turn your back on.

Leo was different. He was cool and logical. Like Donnie, Leo would already have a plan formulating. Unlike Raph, Leo wasn't easily over taken by anger. Leo would be guarded well with a clear strategy. His movements wouldn't be easily read, his intentions would remain focused. Leo was only slightly slower than Mikey. They were almost matched in strength. Leo was the other one. He was the one who would challenge him. Leo would try to take Becca away.

Mikey snarled. Everyone grew quiet. Leo raised a brow. Mike circled Leo, Leo circled back, mocking him. Mikey lunged, aiming for Leo's arm. Leo pulled back and grabbed Mikey's arm. Mikey twisted his arm painfully to be able to grab Leo's forearm. Holding Leo there, Mikey drew back to punch. As he aimed for Leo head, Leo ducked. Mikey brought up his knee. Contact between his knee cap and Leo's cheek tugged Leo out of Mikey's hold. Leo bounced back a couple steps. His brother rubbed his mouth then turned his head and spit out blood.

Howling, Mikey flipped up, making Leo jump back to avoid a downward kick. Leo took a quick step and landed a two-handed blow on Mikey's plastron. Mikey grunted, the air knocked out of him. This was a perfect opportunity. Mikey brought up his hands, clasping them together and stuck Leo on the top of his carapace. Leo stumbled. Mikey shoved his oldest brother to the side, causing Leo to roll. Mikey sprung, jumping on top of Leo. He primed for another strike, a solid jab to Leo's surprised face, when something wrapped around his arm and pulled him off Leo. Mikey jumped from his new position on the mat to standing, searching for his enemy.

Splinter's dark gaze met his and Mikey panted. The darkness inside told him this was another male. This was another challenge. "Michelangelo!" Splinter barked. Something rushed into Mikey. Realization at what he was doing, who he was facing, surged within him. "I believe you have proven your point." Splinter warned. Mikey hung his head. What had he been thinking? "Everyone else, training is over for the day. Michelangelo, you will stay." Mikey chanced a look around. Leo and Raph seemed put off. Donnie was whispering to Sara. Becca stared at Mikey. Fear was written all over her. She noticed his look and wrapped her arms around herself. Her scent hit him in the nose. She was scared… of him.

*)O(*

A/N: And… we have reached the part where I haven't written anything in the draft version so you guys are getting everything as it comes to me. I hope you liked it, leave a review. I hope more of you do, the elated feeling I get when I see one is probably like what a druggy feels when getting a free sample. How did you guys like Mikey's attitude problem this go around? I wanted to get kinda complex with him because I feel too often he's underwritten as being just a prankster. It should also be noted that he's not going to have it as easy as Donnie did.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Sup, my people! I'm loving all the feedback I'm getting! Thank you guys so much! I've decided to go ahead and rewrite some of my old stories and send them out in hopes of getting published. I'll let you guys know how that goes. It might take me longer to update this story because of that though. Now, back to the important stuff.

*)O(*

Sara was holding onto her arm as she led her out of the dojo. Becca kept thinking of Mikey. His eyes were dark. He didn't smile. He growled and snarled. He looked like a monster. Striking his brothers and attacking them without mercy. Nothing she'd seen from him so far had let her know he could be like that. He was frightening.

She'd slept beside him. He'd held her. At any time he could have done to her what he'd done to his brothers. She was tiny compared to him. He could have-

"Becca," Sara's voice pulled her out of her head. "Donnie and I have to talk to you." Numb, Becca nodded. "Let's go to our room." Becca followed them while she kept her head down. To think that Mikey could be so… violent. Becca shivered and held herself. He was so fast. If she ever made him angry, what would he do to her? Sara pulled her inside of a dark room. Becca blinked as lights flashed on.

The room was covered in books and shelves. Some odd gadgets sat on a desk. Two laptops were plugged into the wall, hanging off the corner of a nightstand. The bed was neatly made, but papers with some formulas were scattered on top of it. Organized chaos, Becca thought. Everything seemed to have some kind of coffee stain on it. Two low hanging grow lights kept an assortment of plants alive.

"Here, have a seat." Sara pulled out a swivel chair and sat it in front of the bed where Donnie was already sitting. Sara joined him as Becca sat down. "Are you okay?" Becca nodded but leaned away from Donnie. Mikey might have kicked his butt, but that didn't mean he wasn't dangerous as well. Hell, even Sara with all of that toned muscles looked scary. "I need you to listen to me, Becca." Sara leaned forward and put her elbows on her knees. "Mikey isn't usually like that, like, ever."

"We think it's because of you." Donnie nodded, adding his insight.

"Me?" Becca squeaked. What had she done? Sara's voice was calm. "By looking at them, you can tell that the guys are part turtle, but what you can't see is inside of them."

"B-but, you said-"

"They _are_ people." Sara interjected. "But some things are still slightly more… _animalistic_ about them." Sara added like she was trying to dance around the word animal. "They still have sharper instincts than either of us will ever hope to have. One of those instincts is to…"

When Sara stalled, Donnie picked up. "To mate."

Becca grasped the arms of the chair she was sitting in to keep herself in it. Mate, like mating, like with her. How was that even possible? How could he be attracted to her? He was a turtle. Wasn't there like some species barrier or something? "You need to understand, Becca, that we've been raised as humans. We all find human females attractive. Mikey has made it clear that he likes you." Becca's brain was in over load.

"Mikey, hell, none of the guys, would ever force you, Becca. I need to be completely clear about that." Sara reached out and touched Becca's leg. "I know that Mikey's display scared you, but you're safe here."

"How can you say that!" Becca jumped up. "Didn't you see what he did to the others? To Donnie? He could, he could-"

"Mikey would never-!"

"But he could! What, what if…" Becca felt sick. Nausea settled deep inside of her body. As if Sara knew what was going to happen, a trash can was provided. As her stomach refused to keep down her recent breakfast, she could barely make out something that Sara said. Heaving into the trashcan, the sight and smell of stomach acid mixed with the heavy breakfast foods sent her to vomiting again. Her eyes burned and she coughed. Her throat felt raw. She spit, trying to get the taste out of her mouth. A green hand with three fingers handed her a tissue. Timidly, Becca reached for it only for her stomach to protest again.

She spit again, reaching for the tissue and wiped her mouth when commotion outside of the room startled her. Donnie took the trash can without a second glance. Suddenly, the door burst open. Mikey was being pushed inside. Upon seeing him, Becca jumped onto the bed, racing to put her back to the wall. Why was he in here? What if he was here to…

"Sara!" Mikey complained.

"Michelangelo, I said get your fat shell into that room!" Sara shoved him the rest of the way in the room. Becca panicked as Mikey's eyes locked on her. "Do you see?" Sara roared. "This is what your stupid little show did! You've scared the poor girl out of her mind!" The poor girl in question remained frozen like a rabbit waiting for the cat to pounce.

"Screw your brothers, what about her? Are you going to apologize to her?" Sara kept pushing on Mikey, trying to get his attention. "You've made her afraid of you! She hasn't had time to adjust to you guys yet and you go all crazy on everyone in training." Sara stood in front of Mikey and grabbed his chest plate. Mikey hissed and looked down at Sara finally. "Look, _I_ ," Sara emphasized. "Know that the things going around in your head are messing with your normal attitude, but Becca doesn't know you, or any of us, and now she thinks that she's in the same danger that she was a couple nights ago, but now she thinks that it could be _you_!"

"Sara," Donnie warned. Mikey's eyes went back to Becca and she held her breath. Sara talking about her like that had been kind of weird, but the look in Mikey's eyes made Becca feel like she needed the trash can again. His eyes were dark. His light blue eyes seemed to look out into the eternity of space and reflect no light. Pain seemed to over take him and he moved forward while Donnie pulled back a protesting Sara. "Becca?" Mikey said her name like a question as he took another step forward. If there was anymore room between her and the wall, Becca eliminated it as Mikey stretched out a hand. As if she'd burned him, Mikey pulled away. He turned and ran out of the room while Sara tried to go after him.

Her brain trying to make sense of what had just happened, Becca remained where she was. Donnie soothed Sara, glancing Becca's way every once in a while. Seeing him being so tender with Sara helped to ease Becca as well. They were like normal people, some part of her brain that was still working tried to rationalize. Normal people were capable of bad things, right? It was all about choice. Mikey had chosen to stop when Splinter had grabbed his arm. He'd stopped again just now, pulling away from her.

"Since I have the most experience, I'm just going to speak and I hope you listen." Donnie sighed. "I used to get like Mikey, just in different ways. The animal part of us calls out to put on a show, to protect our mate. Most likely, Mikey was fighting us like he would have fought any other turtle if we were in the wild and such. He probably saw us as competition for you. His hostility was more like… a mating dance. He was trying to show off. Mikey might not even know what he was doing. He'd never force himself on you, just like I never forced myself on Sara. He just… likes you. Even if he doesn't know it yet."

So, a giant mutant turtle had a crush on her. Which lead him to kick everyone's ass? But she shouldn't be worried about him even though he wanted to… mate with her? How in the hell had she gotten herself into this mess? Her heart hammered and it felt like she couldn't breath. Her body trembled while her vision shrank. She felt sick again. Her fingertips felt like icicles. She felt like everything was coming to a point and she would go crazy. What if she was already crazy? What if everything had been inside of her head? Liam had raped her, and instead of facing reality, she was making all of this up.

Muffled voices tried to reach her, but she was too far away. Everything was falling apart. Her body ached. She couldn't think of anything besides an overreaching fear. She wanted to scream but sound was caught in her throat. Rapidly, things changed.

Something sweet smelling was thrust under her nose. Then a soft plush animal was forced into her hand. A smooth melody started. She blinked. Sara's mouth was moving. That must have been where the song was coming from. She squeezed the animal, a small rabbit. A sprig of purple lavender with crushed leaves waved in front of her face.

Slowly, her body and mind calmed. It was like she was in a trance. Sight, smell, touch, and tone all combined to calm her. "What, what happened?" She fumbled with the words.

"Was this the first time you've had a panic attack?" Sara stopped singing to ask.

"A panic attack?" Becca sat, looking around. Donnie looked like he was ready to have a panic attack of his own while Sara seemed to be the calmest person in the room. "I-I thought I was going crazy."

"That's a panic attack, honey. Too much has happened too close together." Sara looked guilty. "I shouldn't have pushed you. I'm so sorry." Becca couldn't say anything back. "What I did is a kind of grounding. I got you out of your head, engaging your other senses." Sara took the lavender from Donnie. "To calm you down the rest of the way, I want you to take some deep breaths and inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth. Hold this under your nose." Like a robot, Becca listened to Sara.

"I used to get panic attacks all the time. I kind of became agoraphobic because of them." Becca breathed in the lavender scent and held it. It smelled like a flower shop her mom used to take her to when she was younger. "Are you feeling better?" Becca nodded. Sara sat there with her. Sara told her of her past and how she'd been kidnapped and raped. She confessed about even having a few panic attacks with Donnie because of it. Sara kept her tone light, clearly trying to lighten the mood. "He always stops when I tell him to. Even when he gets a little wild." Sara touched Becca's knee. "I'm sure Mikey would too…" She tried to comfort.

"I… I don't like him like that… I just met him."

"It's okay to like someone you just met."

"No," Becca declared. "You don't _like_ anyone you just met, you lust, and then that lust leads to someone getting hurt!" Becca tried to reign herself back. "Someone always gets _hurt_!" She couldn't stop herself.

Understanding like only another girl would, Sara latched onto what was going on inside of Becca's head. "You trusted someone, didn't you Becca?" It had been a year, but it might as well have happened yesterday. Sara embraced Becca as soon as the tears started. Donnie made an uncomfortable sound and excused himself. "You can tell me, Becca. I won't tell anyone else." Hiccupping and sobbing, Becca told the story of her one and only heartbreak.

*)O(*

He was an idiot. Everyone said so, all the time, and they were right. He'd ruined his only chance at ever being truly happy. He'd scared someone he'd only wanted to make happy.

Sara had busted into the dojo where Splinter had been giving him his ass. She'd yanked him out of the room with the explanation that she'd set him right to Splinter. He would have rather sat there for a week listening to Splinter than for Sara to show him what she had. The sight of Becca cringing away from him tore him to pieces. The desperation and fear on her face while she looked at him had hurt worse than any other injury he'd ever had.

Anything would feel better than this. He wished a thousand Foot ninja were taking turns using him like a practice dummy. Maybe a group of Purple Dragons could use him for target practice. Mikey silently hoped Splinter would come through his door and give him some kind of punishment. Something to make him stop thinking about how Becca looked at him.

A knock came to his door. He'd retreated to his room. He didn't move from his bed where he sat against the wall, defeated. A ninja who could beat even his leader, defeated by a look. If things were just a little different, he'd be swooning instead of wondering how he could knock himself out and forget any of this had ever happened. Donnie opened his door.

Taking a cautious look around, his older brother stepped inside. It was a rare occasion where his room, while still messy, wasn't a hazard area. "You okay?"

"Go away, Donnie." His voice sounded hollow.

"Sara and Becca are having some girl time. I thought I could have some bro time." Just great. Someone to witness just how pathetic he was. "I do have some experience with why you did what you did, you know." Even better. Some fucking advice from the genius. Perfect. "Everything was hazy, wasn't it… but… everything was so clear." Mikey's head snapped up. "You were angry, but you don't remember why, or why you felt like you had to prove anything to start with." Like a jack hammer, Donnie hit the nail on the head. "Once someone stopped you, you kind of couldn't remember exactly what you just did. All that mattered was Becca." Mikey gulped and nodded. "It was the same for me, with Sara." All those times I flipped out. It wasn't until we… well, you know, that it even toned down a little. It was months before anyone could touch her without me seeing red."

"How did you do it? How did you deal with her being so close, around all of us?" Mikey's mouth asked before he could stop it. "This, this is only day one and I've done scared her." Mikey whined, mournfully. "I've ruined everything!"

Donnie crossed the room to sit beside Mikey, wrapping an arm around his younger brother. "I didn't do anything. It was all Sara. If it wasn't for her, I probably _would_ have attacked you guys." Donnie gave a half hearted laugh. "And I'm the calm, mature one, not the baby brother with a point to prove." Donnie took a deep breath then released it in a sigh. "I should have said something; I should have stopped you. I figured out what was happening when I got on the mat. I should have said something to Splinter." Letting out another sigh, his big brother roughly rubbed Mikey's head. "I'm not mad at you though. I understand."

"How did you stop yourself from just, kicking all of our shells all the time?"

"I didn't-"

"Yeah, I know, Sara, but, dude, didn't it ever happen any other time?" Donnie stayed quiet for a little while. He was thinking, going over his entire relationship, no doubt. "Sorry," Donnie heaved. "All I can come up with is Sara. She was affectionate. Soon she was my girlfriend. I knew, as awful as this sounds, that she was mine."

"Then what do I do? How can I ever fix this? Becca's not like Sara, I don't think she'll understand."

"Not at first, just… give her some time, and some space. She's scared of you, right now. Just show her that she doesn't need to be. No more kicking everyone's shells. Your best bet is to probably just leave her alone for now." Mikey nodded.

Donnie was probably right. Hell, he was the only one who had any experience with girls. His only other bet was to call Casey. He could just picture how that would go down. He let out a strangled laugh at the mental picture of Casey giving him advice. Donne looked at him like he was crazy. "Sorry, dude, I was just thinking about getting girl advice from Casey." Donnie seemed to think of that for a moment and started to laugh.

"Whatever you do," Donnie chuckled. "Don't get advice from him." They calmed down and Mikey pulled away from his brother. "Thanks, dude."

"You're welcome. I'm going to go and try to smooth things over with Splinter. I'm going to play the young and dumb card as best I can, you've only got a couple more years before it's obsolete anyway." Donnie crossed Mikey's room before looking back at him. Mikey waited for something but only got a small smile and advice to clean up his room before Donnie disappeared. Mikey continued to sit on his bed. It was only day one and everything was going to hell in a hand basket.

*)O(*

A/N: I know its short but it needed to stop here before it turned into a ten thousand word chapter. Up next is a meet and great with the rest of the family. (April, Casey, and Marcus.) See you guys next chapter. Don't forget to leave a review!


	6. Chapter 6

It was hours later, when the other humans arrived. Mik was in her room where Becca now sat on Sara's old bed. The past day had been trying and Mik was ready to rest. If she were lucky, she would be able to escape the rowdy group early and get to bed before anything else happened. If she wasn't lucky, something else would happen and she'd have to stand witness to more than she was willing to see today.

Becca fiddled with her hair. Up, down, side, other side. Mik had to give the girl credit. She was trying everything within her power to hide her face with her hair. It was fruitless as the swelling in the girls face prevented the nasty bruises from being hidden. "You might as well not bother," Mik sighed. "They all seem to wear injuries like Olympic medals." Becca jumped. She was a fidgety girl. Mik hoped she would calm down after a few days. "By the way, has anyone warned you about Marcus?"

"Um… he's human, right?"

"You know, having two geniuses in this place, you would think one have them would have remembered…" Mik muttered. "He's scarred up, all over his body. He tries to act like it doesn't bother him, but if you could not mention it, I'm sure he'd appreciate it."

"Oh… okay… Do I need to know anything about the other two?" Becca settled her hair, pulling it back on Mik's advice.

Mik thought for a moment. She and April got along fairly well nowadays. April would be the easiest for someone new to get used to. Casey would be the problem, if there were one. Mik rolled her eyes as the picture of Casey and Raph's latest brawl came to mind. "Casey and Raph might fight, but don't worry, it's like that every time they see each other." Becca tensed up but nodded. No doubt, no one wanted any more fighting today after Mikey's little show earlier.

Inside, Mik debated telling the girl that she would have to get used to it. She was living with four young men and they would fight if given the slightest provocation to do so. Then again, this was a young woman who had been distanced from her family at a young age and hadn't had too much in the way of rivalry. Pulling her out of her internal conversation was a loud, offensive odor that made her eyes water.

Mik chocked as the air seemed to tighten around her. She couldn't pull a full breath. Her nose _hurt_. She looked around, trying to find the source of the foul stench. Spritzing herself with a bottle, Becca looked at her like she'd grown another head. Without thinking of what she was doing, her hands covered her injured nose and her tail lashed out, knocking the bottle out of Becca's startled grip. Mik rushed out of the room, coughing.

She ran to the living room. It was almost as bad as the time right after Sara had ordered the lair be painted. Both she and Splinter had had to stay at April and Casey's place. When they thought it would be safe, they'd returned only to flee their home, covering their noses. Sara poked her head out of the kitchen then rushed to Mik's side. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know what happened!" Becca ran out of the room, following Mik, bringing the stench with her. Mik gagged. She could _taste_ it! "Becca?" Sara said, confused.

"I was just putting on some perfume and she-"

"Perfume? Get back in the room!"

"But-"

"Now!" Sara ordered. Becca ran backwards for a few steps before turning around.

The smell lingered but after a few moments, Mik could breathe. Her eyes watered and she sneezed a few times. Her nose tingled, painfully numb. Whatever cursed hell that bottle had come from, it could return to it. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Mik rasped. "Just, can you ask her to remove that smell?"

"Right, uh, are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, Sara, I'm sure." Mik nodded.

"Okay, I'll get a pot boiling on the stove so the steam can help your nose."

"I'll get the water; you go make sure that she knows I'm okay. She's new, it's not her fault." Sara frowned, but nodded before heading off to Mik's room where Becca was sure to be. As she headed to the kitchen, Casey burst through the lair door, yelling at Raph who was carrying something. Mik sneezed and then sighed. No luck of tonight going smoothly then.

*)O(*

Sitting on the bed, tears threatened to fall again. How much could someone cry in one day? The day wasn't even over. A knock on the frame of the door alerted her to someone. "Hey," Sara said, timidly.

"Is she okay?" Becca asked.

"She'll be okay. She wants you to know that she's not mad."

"I, I don't understand, what happened? Is she allergic to perfume or something?" Becca looked to Sara for answers.

"Kind of… Because of her mutation, she has the best sense of smell I've ever seen; she'd give veteran drug dogs a run for their money." Sara leaned against the doorframe, watching her. Becca looked down at her hands instead of looking back. She should have thought. She should have asked. "I'm sorry." Becca strained to say. Damn tears, she wished they would either come out or go away.

"Its okay, Mik will be fine after she clears out her nose. You are going to have to take a shower though, to get the smell off you." Sara seemed wary. Becca tuned in to the cue and looked up. Sara's head was tilted, her hip and shoulder pressed against the door, her arms crossed, her face passive, almost over looking Becca. She seemed a million miles away, but there and present at the same time.

"Sara?"

"Huh?" Sara blinked, coming back.

"Welcome back, where did you go?"

"Oh, I was just listening to Raph yelling at Casey." Sara dismissed, standing up straight. Becca strained to hear anything, but couldn't make anything out. Maybe Sara was close enough to hear it, though. It certainly felt odd, since Sara was only a few feet away. "They're here?"

"Yep, they come down a manhole that it pretty close, so it doesn't take them long to get here. Come on, I'll show you where we keep the towels." Becca stopped the redhead, grabbing her clothes first.

She was still worried about Mik. The female rat was in the kitchen as they passed, her head under a cloth, steam pouring out of a pot at the table. A glance in the other direction showed three humans, one dark haired male wrestling Raph. The woman, April, sat back, smirking before seeing Becca and offering a confused look when Sara pulled her away.

Sara made short work of the tour of the linen closet and explained that the hot and cold markers in the shower were backwards and to be careful before leaving Becca alone. One shower later, Becca came face to face with her reflection in the mirror. The steam had clouded it over, but she took a deep breath and swiped the glass with her fingers. Green and yellow melted into a blue-purple that turned almost black. Everything on her face was swollen. It looked like she was squinting, almost glaring. She looked worse than she'd thought. ' _They all seem to wear injuries like Olympic medals_.' Mik's voice soothed. Nodding to her reflection, Becca pulled her hair back again. Ready, she faced the door as if it was an enemy. She was so not ready for this.

*)O(*

Mikey steered clear of the wrestling match in the middle of the living room, navigating to Marcus who stood on the other side of their old couch. "Hey, Marcus."

"Mikey," Marcus smiled, nodding. "I heard that you did exceptionally well today in training." The grin that Marcus gave was accentuated by a scar that ran up the human's left cheek. A left over from Karai that had yet to fade well enough that it would be easy to ignore. Mikey blushed and rubbed his head. He should have figured that everyone would know by now. "Yeah, uh, that's kinda why I wanted to talk to you." Intrigued, Marcus lifted an eyebrow. "You know how Donnie gets sometimes, with Sara? All protective and stuff."

"Yes, I've seen it once. It's quite impressive."

"Yeah, well, I kinda did something similar because of Becca." Marcus stayed quiet. "I- Do, um, could you help me with that at all? I scared her pretty bad and I don't want to do that… again." Mikey looked to Marcus with all the hope he had. He didn't try to use his puppy dog eyes. He was sincere and he wanted Marcus to understand that.

The human seemed to consider it for a moment. "We'll talk about that later, but I'm not sure how much help I can be." Mikey nodded, hopeful.

"Ow, damn it, Casey, watch where you put your fat feet!" Raph howled as he hopped on one foot, holding the other. "Mine? Yours are like three times as big as mine."

"Well," Raph started, suddenly smug. "You know what they say about guys with big feet."

"They have small brains," Mikey threw out, laughing. Marcus chuckled. Raph growled. Casey reached over and gave a friendly punch to Raph's shoulder, distracting Raph.

Mikey did a quick head count. Each couch would only hold three people. He didn't mind sitting on the floor, but they were still four seats short. He recounted because no matter where Donnie sat, Sara would probably just sit on his lap. "I'm gonna grab some chairs," he excused himself. He went and got a beanbag from his bedroom first before snatching two from the kitchen. When he got back, Donnie smiled. "I'll get mine from the lab." Mikey nodded. Sara must not be in a clingy mood then.

Speak of the devil; she joined them in the living room, forcing Marcus to take a seat before starting a conversation with him. Mikey looked around. Splinter was in the kitchen with Mik now. April took her favorite seat on the old couch. Raph and Casey were talking about something, probably ready to start another wrestling match. Leo was still absent. The person he was waiting for had been forced to take a shower.

As soon as the first picture of Becca in the shower popped into his head, he forced it away. Now would be a perfect time to get some snacks started. Going to the kitchen and reaching for the popcorn automatically, he stopped himself. This could be a great time to show Becca that he could do more than work a microwave. He mentally went through everything they had and settled on something easy. He got everything he needed and nodded, satisfied. He would probably only have ten minutes or so before everyone was gathered together. He smiled. He liked a challenge as well as the next person.

Setting a skillet on the stove and throwing in some veggies, he hummed to himself. "Well, I know my nose works now." Mik spoke. "That smells great, Mikey."

"Indeed, what are you making, my son?" Splinter agreed, removing the pot of now cool water from in front of Mik. "Just something for everyone to munch on before we order pizza."

"That's right; it is Leo's turn to cook tonight, isn't it." Splinter laughed.

"Like Sara would let him in the kitchen again after he caught grilled cheese on fire." Mikey laughed. Chopping with one hand, he shook the pan on the stove. He kept his eyes on the cutting board, the weight of the pan enough to let him know what was going on in it. "Or when he tried making pancakes," Mik laughed.

"I get it, I can't cook," Leo barked at the three of them as he passed, going to the living room. The trio laughed even harder.

Mikey pulled the veggies off the heat, plating them on a serving platter. Next, he added the meat to the pan before starting to heat up oil in a pan. A couple sprinkles of Sara's fresh herbs and Mikey had to grin. Taquitos would be perfect. Small and simple but well done and fresh, and quick as long as he got the meat done right. He dunked the shells in the oil, frying them slightly so they would hold their shape.

A soft voice made him nearly send the frying pan flying. "Are you okay Mik?" Becca stood on the threshold of the kitchen, not daring to enter it. "Yes, dear, don't worry about it anymore… Just, please refrain from putting so much perfume on next time." Becca stood there, her blush starting on her neck as she nodded. "Sara wears it, so it's okay, just, not so much." Mikey tried to turn back to his cooking, but Becca noticed him. As if she was afraid the kitchen was going to eat her, she walked to the counter slowly.

Mikey could tell she was ready to bolt at any time. She even kept her body half turned to help, her weight on the foot closet to the door, ready. "That looks good," she almost whispered. Mikey jerked back to the stove. He nodded and kept quiet, continuing to cook. No way was he going to mess this up. He'd thought he'd have days, even weeks before she'd even talk to him. "Mini tacos?"

"Kinda," Mikey agreed. That's what most people would think but they were actually different. Not to mention, he'd tweaked the recipe numerous times. "Where's the lettuce and stuff?"

"Tacos are actually usually served with sautéed peppers and onions and beans." Becca looked at him. He could feel her eyes boring into the side of his head. "I'm pretty sure that when I go to Taco Bell, I get lettuce and tomato." Mikey chuckled at Becca's rebuff.

"Sure, but that's not Mexican food, that's tex-mex."

"I get it in a taco shell, it's Mexican," she argued with a small laugh.

Mikey relaxed a little. Maybe he would be able to make amends. "Whatever you say, dudette." Mikey smiled at her. Finished with cooking, He started to make up the snack. Mik and Splinter left, going to the living room. Alone with him, Becca tensed up again. Mikey sighed a little. Forgiveness seemed like it wasn't as close as he thought. "Um, do you, uh, need any help?" Becca whispered. Mikey looked over to her as he stuffed the meat into the shells and rolled them up.

Her face was a mess but he clearly remembered what she'd looked like before the bruising had started. Her light blond hair was darker, still wet from her shower. Her arms were wrapped around her torso. She leaned away from him and didn't meet his gaze when he looked at her. She was anything but comfortable around him. Mikey took a moment to think. How could he smooth this over? Usually he'd just make a joke and sweep the uncomfortable atmosphere under the rug. He took in what he had and what his hands were doing. There really wasn't anything she could really do to help him. Shaking his head, defeated, he sighed again. "No, I got it from here, but thank you, Becca."

Becca nodded and went to leave. She looked sad. Mikey mentally bashed his head against a wall, he was an idiot. "Hey, Becca?"

"Yeah?"

"Uh, you know, about earlier?" Mikey started. He kept his gaze down, not willing to chance looking at her. "I'm sorry I acted like that, it won't happen again. It was stupid of me." He didn't hear anything for a little while and when he turned to look, Becca was gone. Defeated, he leaned forward and took a deep breath as his head smashed into the cabinet. He was screwed.

*)O(*

Mikey's words hovered around in her head. She couldn't believe them, not yet. Everything was happening so fast and she couldn't find the break. Judging from what she'd heard of the turtles, it didn't seem like there was one.

In the living room, she was introduced to the other people. April was nice, a little pushy, but overall warm. Casey was brash and slightly inappropriate, but easily reined in by April. Marcus was calm and quiet, introducing himself but then moving away to give her some space. A few moments later, Mikey came out with the mini tacos. The big tray sat on the coffee table and everyone rushed to get some. She heard the call for pizza being made as everyone else laughed over it being Leo's turn to cook tonight. Becca sat, silent on one of the kitchen chairs. She wasn't sure what do to with herself. Everyone talked, obviously close with each other. She pulled her legs up, hugging them. She just wanted for all of this to be over.

They were great people. Everyone had been kind. She knew that once she moved out, she'd never tell anyone their secret. They weren't hurting anyone, actually, they were just what New York needed. Silent guardians looking out for the people who needed them the most. She wasn't comfortable though. They were a loud group. They were close, a selective clique not accepting new members.

Then again, Becca mused. There was Sara. The strong, tall, redhead who flowed within them so easily. Becca didn't think she could ever be like that. Sara didn't seem to see the difference between the humans around her and the turtles… or the rats. It was like she saw past the green skin, fur, claws, and shells to see something that Becca struggled to find. She agreed that they were people, it wasn't like she only saw them as animals. Still the physical differences were so stunning, Becca couldn't move past them as she watched the group.

She felt bad about being so shallow. How could her feelings be so torn? She saw them as people, yet couldn't see them as… human. Weren't they entitled to everything that normal people would be? Of course, she chided herself. However, they couldn't be at the same time. Just because they looked different. Becca continued only a moment longer before a controller was thrown at her, landing in the gap between her legs and chest.

Becca looked at it, stunned. She picked it up, looking around. Mikey grinned at her. "Let's kick these losers' shells," he laughed. Sara and Raph both had a controller also. Mario Cart was loading on the large screen. Donnie was engrossed in a conversation with Marcus. April and Casey were murmuring to each other. Leo was absent. Mik and Splinter sat back, watching her. Becca swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. She nodded, letting Mikey know she was game. She didn't know much about how Sara or Raph played but she was pretty sure she'd be able to beat them with Mikey's help.

At the end of the first round, the others were cheering on their favorite teams. She and Mikey had lost, just barely. Sara had finished in first. Mikey was second. Raph had saved a shell and used it right before Becca had crossed the finish line. "I've got my money on Raph," Casey laughed.

"Oh, please, that was just a warm up, wasn't it, Becca." Mikey who had taken a seat next to her nudged her playfully. Becca nodded to him, focusing on the screen. As much as the next person, Becca didn't like to lose. She had already decided that she was going to target Raph this round, revenge for the last round. The game started again, Becca ready this time for some fierce competition.

"Come on, not again," Raph raged. Becca cackled, watching his character fly off the path after she let a banana peel behind her. "Quit singling me out, Sara's the one in first place," Raph who was fuming threw out. "Not for… long…" Mikey said as he threw a shell, knocking Sara back to third place, stealing first for himself. Becca let out a whoop as she too passed Sara. For insurance, she dropped another banana peel in Sara's path. The redhead let out a frustrated noise. "Alright, Becca," Mikey whooped, blindly lifting his hand for a high five. Becca returned the gesture, surprised that his hand wasn't as sweaty as hers, before turning her attention back to the game. It was like he didn't feel the tension of trying to win. Mikey came in first, Becca in second.

They both stood up, cheering. Becca got another high-five and a wide grin from Mikey. "Don't go celebrating yet," Raph growled.

"Celebrate what?" Leo asked from the entrance. Probably a dozen pizzas were stacked between both of his arms. Two bags hung from his elbows, but that wasn't what brought Becca's attention to him so dramatically. He was wearing jeans and huge shoes. His torso was covered with a long trench coat. He must have had a hoodie on under it because the hood from it covered a baseball cap that was pulled down over his face. The thin strip of it that was exposed between the bill of the cap and the giant scarf he was wearing, at least. He had black gloves on. Almost every inch of him was covered in material. While the get up was odd to look at, it made Becca realize something.

If you stripped away all the clothes, you'd find someone underneath it all. Just like any stranger on the street. You'd find someone who had a family and friends. Although his job wasn't really a job, he kind of had one of those too. He had things that he liked to do, things he wanted to do. Hell, his favorite food was pizza. Becca looked to Mikey. He was the same. If you could force yourself past the outer appearance, he was more normal than someone you'd find on the subway.

Something inside of her settled. She watched Mikey as he jumped up, yelling 'Pizza!'. He was just a guy. A guy who looked a little different, but just a guy. This guy had saved her. He could cook. He liked video games. He was nice, liked to crack jokes. He was closer to his family than she'd ever been to hers. He'd treated her with nothing but respect. She relaxed for the first time since that morning.

*)O(*

Leo joined in on the fun that was taking place in the living room. He even tried to have a conversation with Becca. She'd been too interested in the 'Championship' to focus too much on talking to him though. He looked back and forth between her and Mikey. They both had the uncanny ability to eat while playing, without losing.

He'd been thinking of a time to apologize to Becca. He had been rude to her when they first met. He'd realized that when he'd listened to her with Splinter. This was an ordinary girl who had had a lot thrown at her in a short amount of time. Sara had even come to him after that morning's events and explained what she'd thought had happened. He agreed, concerned by the way that Sara had said Mikey's behavior had affected the girl.

Now she seemed happy. She was taunting Sara and Raph, joking with Mikey. He wondered if he should just let it go. He didn't want to ruin her mood and he'd yet to find the right time to say what he wanted to say. He wasn't even sure how he'd say it.

No one had to tell him, he knew what he'd done. He'd let him constant worry over his family's safety overrule the safety of someone who had needed their help. He wanted to blame some of it on Mikey, who had been too eager to let a stranger into their lives. When he looked back to meeting her for the first time, without bias getting in the way, he had to accept that it was almost all him though. She'd never posed a threat to them.

He grimaced at the thought of the katana in her bathroom door. It wasn't a functional weapon, but he did feel bad for it being stuck there. They'd have to make sure they removed it when they went to get more of Becca's stuff. He sat on the open chair, eating his pizza and thinking quietly. They should probably go back soon, before the PD destroyed anymore of Becca's things. He sighed. They'd have to take the van, go at night. Park in the alley behind Becca's apartment… He didn't want to think about the logistics of trying to move all her stuff without being seen. Maybe he could make up some of his earlier disrespect by not worrying too much about it and getting what they could, within reason.

He silently hoped that Becca would turn out like Sara. He doubted that Becca would ever become a ninja. However, maybe, just maybe, she'd stay with them, become family. Mikey had shown that he had interest in the girl. Leo would respect that. As the leader, it was his duty to make sure that he put his family before himself. He'd make sure he never walked in on them if they were in his room, that was for sure. He shuttered as he remembered Donnie flipping out the one time he'd done so to him and Sara on accident. Donnie hadn't been as bad as Sara who had refused to talk to him for almost a week afterwards. When she had, it had been barbs about privacy, peace and being able to have some 'alone time' with his brother. Not things Leo wanted to hear about his little brother.

Looking around, Leo studied his family. They all seemed happy. His gaze fell specifically on Splinter and Mik. He wondered how long their little dance would last before one of them figured what was up. Secretly, the rest of them had placed bets on the whole ordeal. He'd decided on about a year from when the bets had been placed. To him the idea that Splinter or Mik would move any faster than that seemed absurd. Donnie had the shortest bet and would soon lose if things didn't change. Mikey had the next closest time. Raph had said that it would never happen, that they'd both be too afraid to mess up being friends, but had still bet, just six months more than Leo.

The two sat, talking softly to each other, or cheering on whoever was losing the current round on the game. Mik, who was startled easily by any quick movements, jumped each time someone jumped up in celebration. Splinter would touch her arm and smile. Leo kept watch for another moment, careful not to let Splinter catch him. Leo hid a smile behind a slice of pizza. Splinter was doing the same thing to Mik. He'd watch the female out of the corner of his eye, but looked away the moment she'd look at him. Maybe he should rethink his bet, he chuckled to himself.

*)O(*

It was getting late. Everyone was leaving, the gathering calming down. He moved to the couch. Becca followed, grabbing another slice of pizza as she transitioned. That would make her fourth and Mikey had to grin. He liked that she wasn't afraid to eat and be herself. Even though the middle of the couch separated them, he felt closer to her than he had. It seemed like once Leo got back with pizza, Becca had relaxed a little. Her guard was down and she laughed easily.

He was sure that no matter how many times he heard it, it would still make his heart throb. She passed him, stealing the win. She was damn good with those banana peels, he mused. "Alright, alright, you're getting too good at this game." He huffed dramatically. Becca laughed, glowing in his eyes. He could almost forget the fear-frozen look she'd given him earlier. "Let's play something else."

"You're just tired of losing."

"Hey, usually games are the only thing I don't lose, give me a break here," he pouted. Becca giggled, covering her mouth with her hand, trying to keep some of the pizza from falling out. "So," Mikey said as he stood up, looking over the games they had. "What do you want to play next?"

"What do you have?"

"A couple RPGs, all of the CODs, all of the Borderlands…"

"Borderlands!" Becca called out. She raised her glass, as if toasting. "Which one?"

"The first one, of course, where else do you start when playing with someone else?" Mikey nodded and put in the game, listening to the opening and humming along. Becca on the other hand, sang it, nodding her head, exaggeratingly playing an air guitar. She leaned over and nudged him, getting him to sing along. He blushed, singing softly.

Signing in, Becca teased him. "Oh, come on, you could have done better than that." Mikey blushed. She was stunning when she was like this. Her easy attitude, her gaze critical as she chose her character, her face held in an almost smile as she gave the game her attention.

They co-opt the game, quickly getting the shell out of Fyrestone. Before they could start on the second town, Becca let out a yawn. Mikey looked her over. It was hard to tell by her face alone, but she was tired. "You should head to bed," he said as he took the controller away from her.

"Hey!" Becca protested.

"Nope," Mikey jumped up as she lunged to get the device back.

"Mikey!" She huffed, pushing fly-aways out of her face, annoyed. "Give it back!" She lurched off the couch, jumping, trying to grab the controller again. Mikey stood still, her jump not high enough. It was kind of funny, but when she jumped again, he sidestepped, playing keep away. "Not happening," Mikey told her as she jumped, off the couch and straight for him, her eyes on the controller. "You're tired," he tried as he moved away from the couch and Becca. She was hot on his shell, chasing him around the coffee table. "Am not!" She protested. Her fingers hooked onto the top of his shell, trying to make him lose his balance. He shook himself, dislodging her. "You yawned!"

"That was because you were taking too long choosing your gun!" She latched onto his arm, trying to pull it down. She weighed almost nothing, he smiled as she huffed. "They were both good guns!" He laughed.

Becca continued to try to pull his arm down but only ended up hanging by his bicep. She tried jerking his arm like that but only succeeded in making herself sway. Pouting, she put her feet down. She tried jerking his arm again but he held firm. Then, a moment too late, he noticed a glint in her eyes. Her hand lashed out and the sudden sensation made Mikey yelp before laughing. Her fingers tickled him right under his armpit. Trying to stop her, he lowered his arm. She took her chance and snatched the controller away. She grinned like a madman though, not letting up as he tried to dislodge her hand. He laughed hard, trying to pry her fingers away from the ticklish area, begging her to stop.

She tossed the controller onto the couch and attacked the opposite area. She laughed now too, grinning at his predicament. "I give, I give, please, stop!" He begged. She took some mercy on him. He took a few deep breaths before glaring at her. She looked back, sheepish. All's fair in love and war, he decided. Not giving her a chance to fight back, he attacked her sides. Becca gasped before laughing loudly. She squealed, taking a step back, trying to escape. She stumbled, landing on the couch. Mikey didn't let up, following her decent, tickling her ribs. Becca thrashed, laughing, trying to push his hands away. "Okay, I'm sorry," she squealed. Her neck and face were pink. Her eyes were squeezed shut, a few tears forming in the corners.

She giggled a few more times after Mikey backed off. She grinned at him, wiping her eyes. "You win," she giggled. Mikey laughed back. He couldn't express how happy he was to see her like this. She yawned again. "See, I told you so," Mikey pried. She shot him a dirty look but yawned again. He chuckled, she sure was stubborn. "I don't want to go to bed yet," she pouted. She put her head down, looked up at him through her lashes and pouted.

It took him a moment but then he realized he was seeing a classic puppy dog face. He laughed. Becca slipped on a smile, turning her head before trying to start the game back up. "Nope, still not going to happen," Mikey laughed, taking the controller again. Becca huffed and crossed her arms. "I'm not going to bed," she pouted. Mikey rolled his eyes. She was obviously tired.

"Fine, but no more games, you'll keep me up all night, trying to beat you." He teased. He switched the TV from game mode to cable and started to flip through the channels.

Becca got up and headed for the kitchen. She came back a little later, two orange pops in her hands and the left over Taquitos balanced between her hands. "We still have pizza," he noted.

"These are better," she blushed. She handed him a can of pop and sat her things down. Not paying attention to the fact that she was staring at him, well trying to act like he wasn't, he opened his drink. Foam rushed out of it, spraying him in the face, covering both of his hands, and coating his plastron. He sputtered, surprised. Beside him, Becca fell backwards, holding her stomach as she laughed hard. She just got him with one of the oldest pranks in the book. He looked between the can and her, shocked.

He knew to never just open a can that someone handed you. He got his brothers like that all the time. He hadn't even considered the fact that Becca would do something like that. He had mixed emotions. As the self-proclaimed king of pranks, he was embarrassed. Also as the kind of pranks, he was impressed. Becca stopped laughing long enough to produce a couple of wadded up paper towels. He sighed and took them.

"Aw, come on, don't be a spoil sport," Becca needled. Still thoroughly impressed with herself. "Oh, don't you worry, if it's a war you want, it's a war you'll get."

"Hey, all's fair," she giggled.

"Shell yeah," Mikey laughed. He would be sticky soon. "Just remember, you're the one who started it," he warned. Becca laughed a little more before stealing the remote and channel surfing herself, settling on an anime. Mikey took a moment to appreciate her. He'd had no idea she'd like anime. She just got, like, ten times hotter in his book. "I'm going to go take a shower," He grumbled. Becca hummed, acknowledging him as she munched on a Taquito.

By the time he was out of the shower, Becca had fallen asleep on the couch. She was curled up in a little ball, her arms wrapped around herself, trying to stay warm. Mikey wondered for a moment if he should wake her. Maybe he could lie next to her again. An image of her scurrying away from him on Donnie and Sara's bed stopped him. He sighed to himself. He never did get the chance to talk to Marcus. He couldn't just leave her there on the couch though. He went around and carefully picked her up. She blinked, looking up at him, confused. "I'm just taking you to your bed," he reassured her. She wiggled, getting comfortable in his arms.

She sighed, falling back asleep, her fingers grasping the top of his plastron. She was beautiful. Asleep, peaceful, a small smile trying to take hold. Her blond hair falling over his arm as she crammed her face into his chest. Her little fingers holding onto him. She was light. He could hold her like this for hours. Her chest rose and fell as she breathed deeply, only a tiny bit of a snore as she exhaled.

He sighed, walking to Mik's room. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't hold her like that. He had to give her space. He had to prove that he wasn't going to force his company on her. She was free, to do as she wanted. He wouldn't stop her. He set her down on the spare bed, covering her. Her fingers stayed latched onto his plastron.

Gulping, Mikey leaned down. _Maybe_ , he thought, since she's asleep. He hovered above her forehead, debating with himself. He could kiss her like this, she'd never know, right? What if she woke up? The risk was too high. He grasped her small hand and pulled her fingers away. Looking at how it fit inside of his, he smirked. He feathered a kiss over her knuckles before leaving the room.


	7. Chapter 7

Raph grunted, more annoyed than anything else. Did Becca really have to take _all_ of her clothes with her? How many clothes did one chick need, anyway? He had two full suitcases in his hands and two with straps around his shoulders. It wasn't that heavy, but still, damn. There were a lot of clothes… and shoes. He'd always saw the way girls acted over shoes on TV, but this was ridiculous. She only had two feet! He huffed, jumping off the fire escape and landing close to the van. At least he wasn't in Donnie's shoes, Raph gave a small laugh.

Sara, April, Casey, and Marcus were moving the bigger things for Becca, who was shoving other things into boxes and bags. Donnie was pouting, watching Sara carry out the couch and book shelves with Casey, not able to take her place due to the route through the building. Mikey was helping Becca, wrapping up fragile items and labeling the boxes for identification. Leo was keeping an eye out on the rooftops, making sure that no one who wasn't invited decided to show up. Raph's role was that of the mule. Carrying the smaller boxes down to the van in the dark. He kept sidestepping light even though he had human clothes on, just in case some of the other tenants decided to look out a window at the wrong time.

They'd decided to go ahead and let Becca's landlord know she was moving out. Becca filed a report with the police, saying her place had been broken into, covering the damage the PD's had caused. Raph had to hand it to her; she was smart to ask him to punch her bathroom door once he yanked out the katana. It covered the distinct impression the blade had left. Her whole plan was elaborate. The landlord was shocked, but agreed to repay what rent she'd paid up if everything else passed inspection. Of course, Becca would have to wait until the insurance paid up before she got her money back.

She seemed chipper enough though, even throwing some jokes his way as he loaded her stuff in the van. 'Don't strain yourself,' Becca had laughed. 'Careful, this one might be heavy,' and she tossed him a pillow. Very funny, Raph frowned. It felt good to have her at least try to interact with him though. She had seemed so skittish around him that he thought he'd scared her somehow. Maybe she was just getting used to them.

Raph groaned, climbing back up the fire escape. Her apartment was small, how much more stuff could she have in it? At least they had gotten out of training this morning because of this. Raph lightened up. Anything to get out of morning training and to see Leo get frustrated over it. It had been his idea, serves him right. Speaking of training, he wondered if Mikey would go all ape-shit-crazy again when they got back into the swing of things tomorrow.

His little brother kicking his shell was annoying. No doubt, it happened more than he would like to admit, but still, Raph grumbled to himself. Usually Mikey would taunt and tease him, dodge him, tire him out first. Yesterday had been something new. Raph growled low. Who knew Mikey could be serious like that? He sure didn't. Then Raph smirked. Neither had Leo, Raph laughed lightly before entering Becca's apartment again. Time to get back to work. As he loaded a few more boxes, he played over the scene of Mikey kicking Leo's shell again and again.

*)O(*

I wonder how long I can keep this up, Becca laughed inside of her head as she handed another box to Raph. The one with the pillow had even made Mikey bust out. "Lift with your legs…" Becca started.

"I get it, I get it," Raph grumbled. She laughed, finally he'd broken. "I just want to make sure you don't hurt yourself," she continued to tease. Raph muttered something but took the box out the window anyway. Mikey chuckled. Becca turned to look at him.

He was wrapping up her teacups and other glass things. He kept his eyes down, not talking much more than to ask for more newspaper or to let her know he was done with a box. In comparison to last night, he was being boring. She still smiled as she thought or their tickle war. It felt normal, like something anyone would do.

She needed more normal in her life. She'd been immensely grateful for the cancellation of training that morning. She didn't want a replay of what had happened before to happen again. She liked Mikey like this, or like he had been last night. Light-hearted, kind, warm, easygoing and fun to be around. Becca shook herself and looked around.

Her apartment was almost bare. Mikey had the last of her fragile things and she added the last thing she could find into her box. Now there was just her stripped bed frame left in her bedroom. It almost looked like the first day she had moved in. She sighed. It wouldn't be long and she'd be moving again. At least next time she would have a job, she sighed to herself. Mikey said something and she turned to look at him. "Huh?"

"You've been sighing a lot. You okay?"

"Oh, yeah… it's just… moving, you know?"

"Yeah," Mikey nodded. She heard about them moving a couple of times. Mostly because someone had found their lair or it had been destroyed. "Sorry," Becca murmured. "I didn't-  
"It's cool. I like where we are now." Mikey gave her a soft smile. When he was like this, his eyes sparkled. His orange mask somehow complimented his eyes and his light green skin. It was… Becca shook her head, looking away from him. She was just about to say that he looked pretty.

She chuckled, leaving Mikey where he was, searching her apartment for anything she might have missed. Sure, Mikey would have taken to her calling him pretty like white on rice. She could just see him playing it up, batting his eyes at her while saying something like, 'Oh, you.' At the mental picture, Becca giggled. Maybe she should say it, just to see his response.

"This is the last thing, right?" Casey's rough voice broke her inner conversation. He was lifting her headboard like it was nothing. Sara was coming in behind him, reaching for the railings. "Oh, I think so." Marcus and April were in the living room, taking a break. Donnie was leaning against a wall in her living room, pouting. No doubt, it couldn't be easy to watch his girlfriend lifting such heavy things and not being able to help. "Time to start putting up the new doors then," Donnie said, annoyed.

Mikey chimed in that he was done. Becca continued to look around. Everything seemed to be packed up and away. The only things they had left to do were to put up the new doors to please the landlord and get the last two boxes out. Make that just putting up the doors as Mikey and Raph took the last two boxes out to the van. There was nothing her to indicate that she'd ever lived here. It was as if a she was a ghost, erased from here forever. It was odd.

Her large things would go to storage, as well as most of her boxes. She would start over. It was an odd feeling. It felt like it had been too soon since she'd done this before. Everything passed around her. The new doors went up and she walked around each room. It wasn't until she got back to her bedroom and saw Mikey coming through the window that she woke up. He looked angry. "Mikey?"

"I need you to stay in here," he told her softly. "Sara, Donnie, Casey, outside, PD are back." Mikey called out to the others.

"Wait, who are the PD?" Becca huffed.

"Don't worry about it," Mikey soothed, softly touching her cheek, not hurting the swollen flesh there. His finger felt odd but warm. "Just stay inside, okay?" Before she could respond, he was out of the window again. April pulled her away from the window as she went to look out of it. "They said to stay here," the older woman warned. Something in Becca poked its head up. "None of you are the boss of me."

With that, Becca went over to the window. Down in the alley, there was her team of six was facing a crowd of people. Some of the people had pipes, others had knives. All of them looked dangerous. Trying to get a head count, Becca would get to twenty or so before she lost track, people moving around too much to get an accurate number. There was no way they would be able to take all of them on at once! There was triple the number of enemies as opposed to her team. "-After the girl," floated up to her.

She felt sick. The dark alley was full of people, all of them wanting to hurt her friends and her. April and Marcus said something to her, but she ignored them. As quickly and quietly as possible, much to April's annoyance, Becca slipped out of her window and out onto the fir escape. "You're not going to lay a finger on her!" Mikey's voice rose above the crowd. Something entirely too feminine inside of her wanted to cheer him on. She tiptoed down the stairs, praying not to let the metal squeak.

She was about two flights down when all hell broke loose. In the middle of everything was her team and the van. She hurried, trying to get close enough to help somehow. She was at the end of the stairs. She had to jump. It looked like a long way down, but she took a moment to tell herself that it was only ten feet. Taking a breath, she jumped. She landed on her hands and knees, scrapping them up. She winced. Who knew what she had in her palms, but she wiped them off on her pants. Looking around, there was a pipe that had been dropped. She couldn't see Mikey or anyone else from this angle. Who knew if they were still fighting? What if someone had hurt him because of her?

Becca picked up the pipe and turned to the nearest person she didn't recognize. Their back was to her and she took her chance. Like she was on her old softball team, she smacked the guy in the ribs. He howled and doubled over, holding his injury. Not sure what to do when he turned around and yelled in her direction, she smacked him in the head. She winced twice. Once when she hit him, the second time when he smacked the ground. The only thing that brought comfort was the fact that he was moving, groaning, but not getting back up. Three more people turned and she almost dropped the pipe.

They were all large, muscled and scary to look at. One guy had brass knuckles, one had a pipe like what she held, and the last one had a large knife pointed at her. _The fuck did I get myself into_ , she screamed in her head. She choked up on the pipe, spreading her legs, ready to smack whoever got too close. The one with the brass knuckles laughed, "I got this one, guys." He was larger than the other two. Becca squeezed the pipe in her hands. He took one, two, three and four steps towards her. Scarred out of her mind, she swung; he jumped back then lunged at her. Squealing, she tried to sidestep him but he caught her arm.

With some pure luck, she took the pipe in her free hand and smashed in down into the side of his head. He let out a yelp of pain before squeezing her arm hard enough she though he would shatter the bone. He started to stand up and Becca took the only opening she could see. She smacked the pipe against his chin. Now he howled. She almost felt smug. That was until the pipe was jerked away from her and new hands held both of her arms.

She twisted and jerked, trying to get free. She was panicking. She needed to think. Then the person who had first come at her looked up, blood spewing out of the corner of his mouth. He took a moment then spit. A tooth popped out, landing on the cement. _That's what you get, asshole,_ was her last confident thought. Then he raised back his hand and Becca tensed. His fist smashed into her gut.

With as many times as she saw this in animes, you would think she would expect what happened. As pain erupted from her stomach, she became winded to the point of gagging. Her body jerked away from her capturer her mouth popping open and her eyes locking on the ground. She choked, gagged, and tried to breathe all at the same time. Then something crackled through the silence ringing around inside of her head. A roar.

Before the large man could hit her again, he was tackled to the ground. The person holding her dropped her to the unforgiving dirt. She sat, slumped, gasping as each breath pained her. She looked up. Mikey was driving his fist into the guy-who-had-punched-her-stomach's face. It was so quick that he got four solid punches in before the guy's friend tried to save him. Mikey whipped around to him when the guy ran at him with a knife exposed.

Becca felt slightly sick as Mikey grabbed the new challenger's wrist, bending it back until a pop-crack sound came and the man screamed. Mikey didn't stop there. He pulled up his leg close to his body and sent the guy flying with a snap kick. Mikey turned on her. For a moment, his eyes were dark. He scared her almost as badly as the other guy had. Then his face softened, twisting, looking like he was hurt as he walked to her slowly. "Becca," his voice was harsh, cracking. "Okay?" Becca looked at him, confused.

"Are you okay, Becca," he asked.

Oh, Oh! Now she got it. He bent down and… sniffed her? "Hurt?" He asked again. He didn't touch her. He sniffed her hair, then close to her next. "Becca," he growled. Her name, rumbled on his lips made her shiver. "I-I'm fine," she rushed. She had Goosebumps. His breath coated her neck. She kept a hold of her stomach, nervous and not sure what was going on. Mikey's eyes fixed on her hands.

Like a warm breeze, his hands ghosted over hers. "Not hurt?" He seemed confused. He was blinking a lot. "N-No," she smiled at him, his eyes finding hers. "You, you saved me," she gave him a bigger smile. Before she could blink, Mikey's lips were touching hers.

*)O(*

A/N: Seemed like the best place to stop ;)


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Notice! Important! No plagiarism was ever intended in this story. If somehow, the title of the story I mention actually exists, all rights go to the actual author and such! (Special disclaimer because even though I searched and I couldn't find anything, that doesn't mean it's not out there.) PLEASE CHECK THE A/N AT THE BOTTOM ONCE YOU'RE DONE!

*)O(*

Sara stared. She couldn't help it. The sight of Mikey simultaneously guarding Becca while kissing her was shocking. Donnie nudged her, taking the rope that she was using to tie up some of the PD's unconscious bodies, and said, "You're a girl, you go over there." She gave him a 'are you fucking kidding me' look. "No way am I going over there," Donnie chuckled.

She turned back; Mikey had picked up Becca. Becca looked bewildered. Mikey was nuzzling the top of her head, basically purring. She looked back to Donnie. She didn't know what to do. Maybe this was for the best. On the other hand, maybe Becca would lose her shit and never go near Mikey again. Donnie shrugged. No help, no luck.

Sara took a couple steps toward Mikey and Becca. "Sara?" There was an edge to Becca's voice. She didn't look scared though. "Hey, Becca. You know that animalistic side I was talking about?"

"Yeah…"

"Well… this is it." Sara kept her tone light, getting a little closer. Mikey looked at her then seemed to ignore her as he went back to nuzzling Becca's head. Now that she was closer, she could tell he was sniffing her too. That was somewhat odd, Donnie didn't do that to her, well, not like that anyway.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, he's just…" Becca gestured to Mikey.

"Alright, um, try talking to him. Let him know that you're okay and that you want to be put down." Sara watched as Becca looked up to Mikey and practically repeated what she just said. Mikey grumbled, ignoring her. "Tell him to knock it off." Sara was as close as she was willing to get. Becca nodded. "Mikey, quit it." Just like she'd seen dozens of times with Donnie, Mikey seemed to come back to himself. He blinked rapidly and looked down at Becca, as if he was surprised she was there in his arms.

Sara felt her heart ache as Mikey panicked. He kept asking if he hurt her, if she was hurt, if she would forgive him. "I totally screwed that up, I'm sorry! It's just, that guy, he hit you," Mikey's voice broke into a small growl before he held it back, swallowing the sound. "I'm really sorry about that," Mikey finally sat Becca down on her feet. "Sara, can you make sure she's okay?"

She hadn't seen what Mikey had and was confused for a moment. Why _was_ Becca down here? "You got punched?" Sara rushed the last couple of feet to Becca. "Yeah, that dude did not have a glass jaw," she had started to laugh but then cringed. Becca pulled up her shirt, exposing her stomach. There was a nasty red splotch but no bruising. Yet, Sara added mentally. She tucked Becca's shirt back down, feeling her ribs through her shirt. When she got too high up Becca giggled, groaned, and then pushed her hand away.

"Is she okay?"

"I'm pretty sure she is. She'll have to take it easy for a couple of days." Sara nodded to Mikey who looked like someone had just told him he was getting free pizza for a month. "If you feel any worsening pain, or if you get sick, get a fever-"

"I get it Doc," Becca teased. She looked pained. Sara started to worry before Becca sighed loudly. "Not laughing is going to suck."

Becca couldn't see him because she was focused on Sara, but Sara noticed Mikey almost reach out and touch Becca. He looked lost. "You better tell him if the kiss bothered you or not, other wise he's going to beat himself up over it until he goes gray." Sara whispered to Becca. Becca stared at her but then nodded solemnly. "Just make sure you tell the truth," Sara added.

"Why are you whispering? Is she really okay?" Mikey held onto his head. If the dude worried anymore, he'd give himself an aneurism. "Don't worry about it," Becca snapped. "And don't just… just… oh; just don't worry about it, okay?" The blond stamped her foot down, looking like a spoiled kid not getting their way. A massive attempt at being angry on her part, Sara grinned. Mikey looked like he'd just been scolded by Splinter.

"That's the last of them, let's get everyone and get out of here, no more waiting. We need to split and make sure we don't have anyone following us." Leo announced.

*)O(*

Becca didn't know what to say or do. Leo was staring her down. "Why did you jump into the fight," he asked again. She kept her lip between her teeth. Would he be angry? Should she just tell them she wanted to help? Would she be in trouble if she told the truth? Leo sighed and pinched between his eyes. It was somewhat odd looking since they didn't have regular noses "I need to be able to tell Splinter something about why you came back home injured," Leo insisted.

"Lighten up, Fearless. She distracted four of 'em for us. I think she did pretty good, well, minus getting beat up."

"Cut it out, Raph, I seriously need answers here or Sensei will grill me about it even worse." Leo ground out through clenched teeth.

"I just… I saw how many there were and I didn't think you guys could take all of them on by yourselves. I just… damn it."

"Language," Leo scolded.

"Fuck you," Becca tossed back. Immediately, she blushed and felt horrible while Raph proceeded to laugh his shell off. Leo glared at her. No joke, his glares were serious business. "You know, I think I'm starting to like you," Raph cackled.

Leo pinched between his eyes again, sighing. "We're trained ninja, Becca; there wasn't any reason for you to jump in."

"But-"

"No buts, it's my job to keep everyone in this family safe, and until you show me you can protect yourself, that means you too."

"That's not fair! All I wanted to do was help!" She was getting angry. Actually, she was ready to tell Leo to fuck off. Leo sounded like he was talking to a child. "You could have been seriously hurt, what kind of help would you have been then?" Oh, come on, not now, she groaned as she felt tears stinging her eyes. She was the kind of person that cried when she got too angry. It didn't help when you wanted someone to take you seriously. "If I was safe because, what did you call him Raph, oh, right, the Fearless Leader was there, then why is it such a big deal. I just didn't want any of you to get hurt because of me!" On the last word, her voice cracked.

Leo suddenly looked exceedingly uncomfortable, backing away from her. _The hell,_ she thought, _have I suddenly become toxic sludge?_ Raph, straight up, ran away. "Don't you think it's been hard enough on me, huh? I've been assaulted. My place has been broken into. I've been forced down into the sewers because I have nowhere else to go. And I have to live with people who are practically strangers… Do you really think I was going to let you guys get the hell kicked out of your asses because of me, on top of all that? Haven't you thought how I would feel if any of you got hurt because you were being nice to me?" Leo kept backing away, so Becca kept walking toward him.

He sputtered, put off. She knew she was crying. It happened every time she got too angry, and this time she used it like a weapon. Leo didn't like to see her cry? She'd get all up in his face with her tears streaming. "You think that because you're the leader, you know what's best all the time, right? Well you don't know me, so don't even think about trying to tell me what's best for me, or what I shouldn't do the next time any of you are in danger!" She yelled then stomped away. When she looked back, Leo was running away from her.

She was about to round the corner and go into the living room when Mikey bumped into her. She hissed. Damn, her stomach hurt. Mikey looked down at her. She couldn't tell what he was thinking or feeling. "Are you okay? Raph said Leo made you cry."

"I'm fine, I'm just angry." Becca sniffled. "I cry when I get too angry. God, that ass sure knows how to get on people's nerves." She blinked in surprise as Mikey tenderly wiped away her tears. Both of his hands nearly incased her whole face. It felt kind of nice. He was gentle, careful of her bruising. His hands were warm. She didn't know how long it had been since someone had wiped her tears away. "Don't let him get you worked up, like you said, he can be an ass." She smiled and nodded. "You want me to kick him?" Becca giggled then tensed up as the contractions made her wish she hadn't. "Sorry, not really good at not trying to make people laugh."

Somewhere inside of her, she found a small shred of courage. She held tight to it. She would need it. "It's okay, if it wasn't for you then it'd hurt even worse." She _tried_ to stroke his ego. He, however, looked like she'd hit him with a truck. Road kill, anyone? "If I had only gotten to you sooner." Now he brushed her hair back.

"No, Mikey, that's," Becca sputtered.

"I won't let you get hurt again," Mikey promised. With that, he planted a small kiss on her forehead and then walked away, heading in Leo's direction. _What the actually fuck_ , her mind screamed as she lightly touched the spot where he kissed her. She was more worried over why he stopped and went away than why it didn't seem to bother her. "You can't ghost out on someone like that," she hissed as she proceeded to stomp again. She navigated the path to the couch like an elephant. There she flopped down and rubbed her face. Why was everything so confusing?

*)O(*

Leo was already with Splinter so Mikey backed off. He grinned to himself as he heard Splinter yell at Leo, well the closet thing that Splinter did to yell now that they were older. Guess their dad over heard Becca's little out burst. Mikey had caught little pieces of it, but had had to force Raph out of his way. As happy as Raph was to get Leo in trouble, he also didn't want Mikey to rush in and kick his shell either. His older brother had said something about needing someone to put Leo in his place.

Mikey wondered what Raph meant. Wasn't that his and Sara's favorite thing to do when Leo started going from Team Leader to Dictator? Lost in his own home, Mikey wandered. His mind was full of different things. Usually he'd take time to work on his comics and clear up his head a little bit but he was feeling too restless to sit still.

He tried to turn his mind and think about pulling a prank on Leo to get him back even more. That seemed a little harsh though. Who else could be his victim, he wondered. Raph was always fun but it didn't seem like he was as successful with Raph as he had been before Sara had come into their family. Sara was almost out of the question anyway, she was his partner in crime. Donnie would get upset for a little while but then ignore him for probably a week. Mik and Splinter were out of the question. Well, unless there was mistletoe involved.

Slowly, he gravitated to the dojo. Raph's bench was securely wedged into the back corner. What the hell, Mikey thought, might as well get a little bit of a work out. Here lately the PD's just weren't what they used to be. Still, they had numbers on their side, which made them as dangerous as they were cocky. The picture of Becca in the crowd, surrounded by thugs made Mikey's hand grip his nunchucks on reflex. He'd been surrounded at the time, but had cut through all of them just to try to get to her before she got hurt.

Turning, Mikey landed a blow on Raph's punching bag. The bag swung, shifting a little then gliding across the special roller-and-chain system to bring forth another. He punched that one too. If he'd only been a little faster, he could have made sure she would have been fine. Another bag swung around. It was all his fault. He punched the new bag. The sound of the roller jumping from its semi-locked position to glide over the metal was almost as satisfying as punching the bag itself.

Then that scum had hit her. Mikey let the next bag have it. The roller system was impressive. Mikey adjusted so he could attack more than one bag at a time. She had been hurt; he'd been forced to watch. There was no way that he could prove to her that he could keep her safe. He'd ruined his last chance. Every destructive thought was punctuated with a jab or kick to a bag. He panted, sweating as he transitioned between the bags.

"Hey, are we going to beat Borderlands together or not?" Mikey jerked around. Becca stood in the doorway with two controllers in her hand. She had a small smile, waving one controller around. His mind lost track of what he had been doing and he was hit in the side by a bag trying to move into position. He fell over, smacking the mat.

He didn't move. Becca laughed hard then doubled over. "Ow," she moaned before looking at him again and laughing hard again, causing her to wince and hold her stomach. Mikey stayed where he was for a moment before standing. He couldn't even enjoy her laugh anymore cause of one punk. Becca settled for a small chuckle, her eyes showing her amusement. "I'd pay to see that again," she giggled. A little embarrassed, Mikey grinned. "First one's free, on the house."

"Sure, sure." Becca waved the controller. "So, you need me to show you how to play this game, or do you think you can keep up?" She teased him, already walking away. Punching bags forgotten, Mikey jogged out of the dojo. He'd be lying to himself if he said he wasn't watching Becca's hips sway as she walked.

*)O(*

She'd watched Mikey stomp his way back from hallway only to return to it. This time she saw where he went, into the dojo, muttering to himself. She'd been flipping channels for a while, trying to sort out her thoughts. Then the sound of something thumping repeatedly had lured her to go see what he was doing.

As she peeked through the crack in the door, she watched him. He was beating the crap out of some punching bags on a weird roller system. He was still muttering and she couldn't hear him. It was obvious that he was irritated about something. She wondered if he and Leo had a fight, as she got lost in his moves. Everything was powerful, but his movements flowed with such ease it looked like he'd been born to beat the living hell out of punching bags. He never touched in nunchucks. This was all about contact. He started to lose his breath and was sweating so much that it was flung off of him as he moved.

She couldn't just barge in and make him stop. She'd needed something, that way it didn't look like she'd been spying on him for who-knows-how-long. Luckily, she remembered the unfinished game. She tried to act casually, as if she only mildly expected him to be in there. She felt like she'd failed until he'd landed on the ground. She barely kept from laughing at thinking about it.

"Hey, who's turn is it to cook tonight," Mikey wondered aloud. Becca bit her lip. After watching Mikey making the mini tacos she didn't want to admit to him that she wasn't… too great in the kitchen. "Uh, mine, but I was just going to order some Chinese, get a small break from pizza." She didn't know if that counted as a lie or not. It was true she was going to order Chinese, but the reason why wasn't completely true. Mikey hummed. He went about setting up the T.V. and Becca breathed a small breath of relief.

"I could go with you and pick it up, we know someone at a place that's okay with us. Uh, well, that is if you're okay with me going with you." His shell was to her so she couldn't see his face, but she could hear his hesitation. "That'd be great. I'd probably get lost if I went by myself, and I don't think I could carry all the bags." His shoulders lifted a little and Becca smiled. They settled on the couch and started to play.

Sara and Donnie came out a little later and Becca told them to write down their orders. "Promise you'll let Mikey carry everything, okay? Go ahead and sit down for a little longer. I'll get everyone else's orders too." Sara smiles then walks off. Mikey paused the game, and Becca looked at him. "What's up?"

"I've gotta get my street clothes on." Mikey grins, "Not everyone can handle all this sexiness at once." Becca stares at him for a second before a laugh forces itself out of her. She groans, holding her stomach but still smiles. "You're definitely something else," Becca chuckles softly.

"You sure you don't want to stay here? I'm not sure you should be moving around too much." Mikey's face is worried. His smile is gone and he looks… guilty. "Nah, I'm just going to make you carry everything, just like Sara said." Becca smiles.

"Better watch out, Mikey, she'll make a pack mule out of you yet," Raph teases as he heads to the kitchen. Instead of tossing anything back, Mikey shrugs. Sara comes back with everyone's orders and they get ready to head out.

Mikey is covered from head to toe. It's late and if they weren't in New York, Becca doubted that anyone would be out and about. The air is cool. Winter is fighting to keep its grip on the city while spring forces its way into the new year. Inside of the city, this was the closest to clean as the air would get before pollen and smog erupted, ushered by the warmer weather.

Mikey walks close to her, his hands in his pockets. He's been kicking a pebble since they stepped out of the manhole. He was quiet. "So, this guy knows you?"

"Yeah," Mikey responded, but didn't say anything more. He'd seemed fine until they were above ground. Now he was slouched over, his personality following suit. "How did he find out?"

"Well, he's never actually seen any of us, he's blind." Mikey fills her in.

"He runs a restaurant, blind?"

"Yeah, best ramen you'll ever eat, I promise. His niece helps him out too." Mikey smiles, his face hidden in shadow, but she can hear it. "I might have to change up my order then," Becca smiles back.

They don't walk for long before Mikey pulls her into a restaurant; almost a stand but walls of dark tinted glass protect it. A counter with chairs and a few small tables off to the side in the cramped area filled the place. One man stands behind the counter, a smile on his face. "Hello," the old man welcomes them. The place is vacant and smells of spice.

"Hi, Mr. Murakami, I've brought a new friend!" Mikey grins. Dark glasses shelter the man's eyes.

"By the smell of perfume, I'm going to assume it's a lady friend," the elder grins.

"Oh, um, yes. My name is Becca; it's nice to meet you, Mr. Murakami."

"Nice to meet you too, my dear. Now, what are you having tonight?"

"Actually, we're ordering for the whole clan tonight." Mikey gives a chuckle as Mr. Murakami sighs deeply. The man wipes his brow and if she could guess, he probably would have rolled his eyes. "I guess I'll be ordering more food once you leave," Mr. Murakami chuckles. Mikey pulls out the list. Becca hadn't thought to look at it, but when she hears everything, her jaw drops.

"Two sweet and sour chicken combos with fried rice and spring rolls. Two general Tso's chicken combos with fried rice and egg rolls. Three orders of Mongolian beef combos with crab rangoons. Three curry shrimp, large. Three kung pao shrimp, large. A large order of lo mein noodles. Two orders of rice noodles. Two large hot and sour soups with four extra packets of fried noodles. Two large egg drop soups. Enough white rice for seven people." Mikey turned on her. She tried to re-hinge her jaw to her face. "And what do you want?" Becca looked, uncertain to the older man. He was… smirking at her. "Go on dear, trust me, I'm used to this." Becca sputtered. What hadn't he ordered already? How often did they order this much food? "Uh, onion and green pepper steak…" She hesitated.

"Go on," Mr. Murakami smiled.

"Do you have red bean buns?"

"Of course, how many?"

"Two."

Mr. Murakami recounted the order, shocking Becca that he could remember all of that. Mikey confirmed it. Mikey extended a hand to one of the stools. The blind man went about cooking, to her surprise a small girl walked out, helping him silently, and not looking at either Mikey or her. The older man telling to Mikey to go ahead and close up, that he'd be done after their order. "The perks of owning your own business," Mr. Murakami threw over his shoulder to her as he cracked eggs into rice with one hand and tossed noodles with the other. She watched him, fascinated. "How on earth are you able to do all of that without burning yourself," she asked in awe.

"Years of practice, my niece is also a great help with the things that I can't do by myself." he replied. "For a while I didn't serve anything but ramen, when I started to lose business, I opened up the menu." The laugh the man gave was warm. "The down side to owning your own business. I wouldn't trade it for anything," he smiled. "Mikey," he shouted. "It's going to be 250." 250, Becca wondered. Surely, he wasn't going to give them all this food for only two dollars… then it dawned on her. The order would be two hundred and fifty dollars!

Panicked, she sought out Mikey. "Okay," Mikey replied as if it was normal. "Um, Mikey," she nearly died with worry. "I didn't bring that much with me," she nearly chocked. "I didn't expect you to pay for anything," Mikey sighed. "What kind of a gentleman would that make me," he asked as he pushed chairs into their proper places. She felt like a fish, her mouth opening and closing, unsure what to say or do. It was her turn to cook that night, and it was she who had said anything about getting Chinese in the first place. "Just let him pay," Mr. Murakami chuckled. "That big bonus from his story is probably burning a hole in his pocket."

She was going to get whiplash. "What story?" She gasped. The elder sniffed hard a few times, moving around the kitchen while Mikey who had pulled all the blinds down removed his hood, his face red. "I write children's books and some comics, it's nothing big."

"Don't let him say that, he was put on the best seller list!" Mr. Murakami hollers.

"You're a best seller?" Her jaw might never leave the floor at this rate. Mikey was bright red. "Barely, it's not that big of a deal." Both her and Mr. Murakami grunt at that, even the girl cooking made a dismissive sound. "It's just one of my stories, and it's under a fake name anyway," Mikey tries to assure her. "You're still the person who wrote it, which one is it?"

Mikey shakes his head. He's not going to answer. He obviously wants the subject dropped. _No way_ , Becca thinks. _I'm reading it._ "It's 'How to be Different - A Mutant in New York' it may be a children's story, but it's motivational." The old man informs her. Becca sits there while Mikey continues to move things around in the front of the shop. He doesn't look at her and for a while, no one speaks. "You're really are something else," Becca smiles as he finally sits down next to her. He somehow blushes even deeper than the one he has maintained. "Thank you." He murmurs.

As they waited, Becca thought that it was odd that the girl was so comfortable seeing Mikey. Then again, he had said that they came in often. Still, most people wouldn't just accept them. Mr. Murakami, she could understand. He wasn't given the ability to judge someone on sight alone and had gotten to know the golden heart of the guys before their secret was exposed. The girl threw her; she wondered what her story was and how she knew the guys, a mystery best solved at another time as bags upon bags were shoved at them.

Mikey's arms are loaded down, bags hanging off him like some odd sort of Christmas tree. She convinced him to let her carry two bags, one that was filled with only fortune cookies, Chinese sauces and fried noodles. The other only holds some of the soup and rice. He doesn't seem to even notice the weight of everything as he walks back with her. "I guess it's a good thing that he's open late," Becca chuckles as she walks. "He stays open for us. He used to close earlier but he knows we come later, usually during patrol. He always closes up shop for us too."

"Well that's because you guys eat up all of his food!" Becca tried not to laugh. Her stomach was sore. She was surprised that they ate dinner so late, but with all the training they did, they seemed to eat a lot to make up for it. "True," Mikey laughed quietly. "Let's head this way, we'll take the garage way." She knew that they had a garage, but she hadn't seen it yet. They walked for a while Becca lost track of where they had turned and was glad Mikey was with her. The quiet was welcome. It felt easy and she found herself drawn closer to him as they continued.

The garage was massive, all kinds of odd vehicles inside of it. Mikey pushed the down button on the lift and they descended into the lair. "I'll try to make sure you see the sun sometime soon, I'm sure it's hard for you being down here all the time." The look of guilt on his face seemed to come back as they were lowered into the earth. "It's not that bad, it's only been a few days, and I went to school at night so I'm kind of used to it," Becca reassured him. He gave her a half smile. She knew something was wrong but she couldn't put her finger on what it was. Before she could say anything else, the lift doors opened up.

The kitchen table was set up with large platters all over it. Bowls sat in front of every chair with chopsticks and cups. Becca was confused. Was someone else trying to make dinner or something? "Oh, I guess we're doing a traditional dinner." Mikey seemed unaffected and started to take containers out of the bags on his arms and put them on the counter. Leo popped his head in. "Dinner," he announced loudly.

She tried to stay out of the way, as Leo helped Mikey open the food then dump the contents onto different platters. Rice was dished out into the bowls. Leo set two large kettles on the stove. Steam filled the kitchen. The food was still hot, even after their journey. "Hey, can you grab the two large bowls from that cabinet, Becca?" Mikey asked her as he went about setting up the table. "We're going to need the other bowls too, the ones with the cherry blossoms on them," Leo supplied.

Handing over the items, Becca took up residence in the corner of the kitchen. About half way through she realized what was happening. It was a traditional _Chinese_ dinner set up. Each person had a bowl of rice while the main dishes were set out in the middle for everyone to choose from. She only knew the difference between the Chinese and Japanese because of an etiquette class her father had made her take. She'd never seen one outside of the class though and it was cool to see them setting things up.

With such a large table in the middle of it, the kitchen felt cramped as Raph and Mik entered, sitting down. Unsure how to help any more, Becca took a seat as well. Just as she sat, Mikey asked her to grab another platter. She almost stood up when he saw her in her chair. "I got it, sit down." His smile was softer than normal, almost sad. "I don't think you should be doing too much more in your condition."

 _Oh_ , she thought, _now I understand._ He was still beating himself up because she threw herself into the fight. Sara's words from earlier rang around in her head and she realized she'd never told Mikey that the kiss hadn't bothered her. _Maybe that's some of it_ , she wondered silently.

Everyone else filed into the kitchen and took a seat. Leo transferred the boiling water to two different kettles; ones for serving, placing them at opposite ends of the table, then sat down himself. Only the seat to her left was open. Mikey plopped down. It was chaos after that.

Everyone started to talk and use their chopsticks to pick up food from the center of the table, bringing some to their bowls of rice. The soups made their rounds. Becca noticed that Mikey had placed the plate of onion, green pepper and steak closest to her. Solely relying on her one class, Becca picked up some with the back end of her chopsticks. Silently, Mik made a round with the tea, filling cups. Leo and Sara talked about a Purple Dragon that they'd knocked out together earlier. Raph leaned towards Mikey and nudged him, saying something that got Mikey to retort, earning a laugh from Donnie.

It was fascinating to watch them. They were all so close to each other. She'd seen it, just in the time she'd been there. Yet, it was like she hadn't realized just how close they were until that moment. _This_ was a family. The teased each other, strengthened each other, pulled one another up when one of them started to fall. Invisible, love, happiness and warmth gathered in the small kitchen, encompassing the people within. She'd never known a kind like it before.

Then Splinter said something to her. She didn't catch it, and Mikey teased her. Sara scolded him, claiming that Becca probably wasn't feeling good after such a long walk to get the food they were now sharing. Raph stuck up for her, surprising her, saying she was tougher than she looked and Sara needed to stop worrying so much. Donnie laughed a little before Sara elbowed him, gaining a laugh from everyone else.

Becca forgot to eat or drink. She breathed in the atmosphere. She took a moment to live in it, savor it. This is what it felt like to have a family. She'd forgotten this feeling long ago and she felt a pain in her chest. A longing to be a part of a family pulled at her, called for her to see something she couldn't open her eyes to right away for fear of it blinding her.

Then Splinter's voice broke through. "How do you like being a part of our family so far?" It was still odd to see a rat smile, but the sight of it nearly crumpled her. "I like it a lot." Why did her voice break? Stunned, she touched her face. She was crying. Damn tears. Dipping her head and wiping the tears away, stealing herself from letting anymore fall, she said, "Thank you so much for letting me in."

*)O(*

A/N: Sorry for the heartstring puller… nah, not really… ;) Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, favorited or followed my story! I see a lot of them on my Google account, letting me know when they happen. To everyone who hasn't left a review, why not? Even if it's a 'Cool,' or 'Good Update,' they make me so happy! I read every one and they are like little energy boosters, reminding me to update ASAP!

Let's get some constructive reviews this time! Tell me, what do you think of Becca? How do you think she is handling living with the guys? Her moods are more frantic than Sara's are and I wanted to make sure I was writing two different people. (Something I'm not too great at since all of my normal characters are pretty much like Sara, a.k.a, badasses.)

FYI, for anyone who has read this far into the bottom A/N, and if you have watched "A Knight's Tale", (if not you should, it's a great, hysterical movie) I've decided to borrow something from that move (NOT A CROSS OVER 'PER SE' MORE LIKE AN 'EASTER EGG') and see how many of you catch it next chapter.

I love you guys, thank you so much for taking the time to read! See you again shortly!


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: So happy to see you all again! I've got a new job but the hours are turning out to be longer than I thought they would be so I'm sorry that updates will be a little slow. I _am_ writing every night though! Here's the next chapter. Remember an authors' air, water, and food are combined into reviews for easy consumption! Leave one to keep me fueled up and coming back to the key board every night!

I give the movie credit at the bottom, just an FYI because I had to use more of the movie than I wanted, so it's not the Easter egg I promised.

*)O(*

He stretched. His arm hit the wall like it did every morning and he pushed away from it, rolling himself out of bed. Twisting and bending, he cleared the fog away from his mind. He smiled to himself. Last night had been great; this morning looked to be just as good.

He'd walked above ground with Becca. She'd walked close, depending on him to make sure she was safe and found her way back home. The deeply ingrained male part of him smirked. He had a little bit before training started and he would usually make breakfast or get a jumpstart on some gaming. Before Becca he would have even went into the dojo early and got in a warm up. Now he looked around, unsure of what to do next.

Mikey it was an odd feeling to walk through your home and not know what you wanted to do in it. There were a thousand things to occupy his time. The only thing he wanted to do was go to Becca. See her smile, hear her laugh, feel her warmth as she sat next to him on the couch. They were simple things but the way he craved them was surprising. It was like he hadn't had pizza in years and a slice was dangling in front of him. But he couldn't grab it.

Actually, it was more like he _wouldn't_. Not yet at least. This was something that he had to wait and be patient for. Things that he neither liked, nor was good at doing. Still, he had to do them. He couldn't risk pushing, or worse yet, scarring Becca away. Then he remembered the last time he trained. If there was anything he could do to make sure she never looked at him like that again, Mikey would do it.

He found himself wilting onto the couch. What could he do to stop from seeing that again? His eyes roamed over the DVD collection they had amassed throughout the years. Most were burned copies from Donnie. Some had been shipped to April's once they had money. Others were from before, worn out with no cases on half of them.

There was one in the scratched up pile that he could pull out from memory, one that he secretly loved. He'd even gotten a new copy of it since the older one wouldn't play anymore. He realized the solution to his problem as he though it over. That one movie could give him a second chance.

*)O(*

It was early, she was sore, and her eyes didn't want to stay open. Snagging an orange crush out of the fridge, she trudging made her way to the dojo where everyone else was. Mik had tried to wake her up three times before Sara came in, screaming. No wonder they all called her Banshee. If Becca had been dead, Sara could have probably woken her up and no one would have ever been the wiser.

Inside of the dojo, Mik raised an eyebrow at her, but Becca ignored it. Sara was standing with the guys, going through a set of movements. Everyone was smiling. By Becca's standards, they were enjoying being up this early way too much. "Alright, Michelangelo and Sara," Splinter motioned to the sparring area they had used a few days ago. "You two are up first." Becca could feel her eyes bulge. If Mikey went all… _primal_ on Sara, he could really hurt her! Hopefully he knew not to injure her. Maybe he had learned something since the last time he had sparred.

They both bowed to each other then took their stances. Sara yelled, rushing forward. Mikey eyed Splinter and Leo before setting a look of apology on Donnie. Carefully, Mikey sidestepped Sara. Chewing her lip, Becca watched their dance. Then Mikey started to talk. "Aw, what's wrong? Can't catch me? Don't worry, Raph can't lay a finger on me either." Sara let out a noise that sounded like a growl. Catching Mikey by his shell, Sara jumped over the top of him, her legs smashing into his face, taking him down to the ground at her own expense. She rolled away, as if the hard fall hadn't fazed her. Sara was up, her fist speeding towards Mikey's face. Her healing lip reopened as she tried not to bite it off. The taste of blood filled her mouth as Sara's fist stopped an inch away from Mikey's face.

"Very good, Sara, just remember not to let your enemy rally you so." Like it was completely normal for one of them to nearly kill the other, Splinter continued on. "Leonardo, Raphael." Not far away from her, Donnie groaned. Mikey and Sara were up and joking around now. Mikey sat down next to her and gave her a smile. "Are you okay?" She rushed to ask. He chuckled. Was he out of his mind? How could he just be okay like that, for God's sake, the fall had to have hurt him at least. "I'm fine, my shell's thick."

"So is your head," Sara threw in with a laugh. She sucked on her lip, removing the blood before anyone can worry over it. She hadn't been paying attention to the fight going on, taking her eyes away for a moment. When she looked, Leo had Raph pinned but was having obvious trouble keeping him there. Splinter called the match after a few moments and Becca breathed a sigh of relief.

"We're used to this, Becca. Most of this doesn't even hurt anymore. We just leave the mat a little bit sorer than when we came in."

"Leonardo, Donatello."

"Wax his shell, Donnie!" Sara whooped, fist pumping the air. It was fascinating to watch them, both of them extremely reserved as they fought against each other. They were both planning, thinking things out as they traded glancing blows with each other. Neither seemed fazed. Their stares were like a cold shower after a sauna. Something that happened too fast for her untrained eyes to catch turned the match. Donnie was knocked back, losing his balance. Leo seized the moment and crouched, knocking the intellectual turtle's feet out from under him.

Mikey let out a harsh laugh at the look on Donnie's face. "Michelangelo and Raphael." Mikey's laugh was short lived. He looked like he'd been betrayed. Becca patted his knee and smiled to him. She knew, as much as it confused her, that this was part of who he was. He nodded and stood, walking to his position as Raph took his. Sara was comforting Donnie, who was frowning, nearly moping.

Becca watched the match. Mikey seemed resolute, determined. She was worried about him going crazy again. Seeing him last night and exactly what 'animalistic' meant when it came to her, Becca wasn't too scared. She still didn't want him to hurt his brothers, or to get hurt, but she knew it was part of him like her hair would always be blond.

Raph charged, it seemed like his favorite fighting move. This time though, he did it with care. Easily grabbing hold of Mikey and throwing him to the mat, Mikey's head hit the mat first. She noticed something. Usually Mikey would be back on his feet by now, or at least moving away from the massive turtle that was getting ready to land a solid elbow into his chest.

The force of the hit made a sound that resounded throughout the silent dojo. Becca scrambled, trying to get up and make sure he was okay. She barely beat Donnie, who was followed by Sara. Mikey was gasping, holding his shell where Raph had landed the hit. "Are you okay?" All three of the people gathered asked at the same time.

"Whoa, I thought I just heard the choir calling for me," Mikey tried to grin but grimaced instead.

"Damn it, Mikey, why didn't you move?" Raph's voice was rough. Becca looked up, ready to yell at him when she noticed the look of worry he wore. Blinking, she looked back down to Mikey. "You okay, bro?" Donnie asked.

"My head hurts a little; I think I hit it too hard when I came down. Hey, Raph, don't worry about it dude." He gave a weak thumbs up then sat up slowly. Becca didn't realize she was helping him until he gave her a warm smile. "I'm okay. I don't think Raph's strong enough to do any real damage yet." Typically, she would laugh or smile to acknowledge that he was okay but something wasn't setting right in her stomach. "Let's get you some ice."

Mikey let her help him out of the dojo. On her part, all she really did was walk next to him while the others brought weapons into the mix. He kept cracking small jokes. They weren't intended for her to laugh. He seemed to want to draw a smile out of her worried face. He finally succeeded when he took the bag of vegetables they used as an ice pack. "Look, it's the pea's knees." Placing the bag on his legs. Grinning and shaking her head, she got him aspirin.

The next morning was almost the same. This time Donnie beat Mikey before Leo also handed him his shell. Now he was getting ready to face Sara. This time they were going to use weapons. When she pulled out her sickles, Becca gulped. She'd slice his shell open with those things. 'Shell is the whole thing,' she reminded herself. She'd asked Sara the night before what the different parts were. Now she at least knew that that back part was a carapace and the front was a plastron. The difference didn't matter it seemed. Twice in a row, Mikey lost the matches. It was a stark comparison to how she'd seen him the first time he'd sparred with his brothers.

She watched as Sara landed a few hits on him, luckily only nicking his skin. The final to the match was when Sara had jabbed the blunt end of the handle to her sickles into Mikey's jaw. His head snapped back and blood came out of his mouth. Sara had made good on her threat to shut him up. _Note to self, don't piss Sara off,_ she reminded herself.

Again, she went to get him some ice, the kick that Leo had landed on Mikey's chin, and the last one from Sara was bothering her; she didn't want him to bruise. "I'm okay, really," Mikey tried to complain but then winced when she stuck the ice pack on his face. "Sure you are." She smiled. "I bet that your face doesn't hurt one bit, does it?" Instead of saying something, Mikey looked away from her. There was still some blood on the corner of his mouth. She frowned. Was this how it always was? Blood and fighting mixed with a fun going, loving personality?

"Let's watch a movie." She suggested. A break from the world for an hour or two couldn't hurt. "I'll even make something soft for you so you can chew it," she teased. He tried to hide it but she could see him blushing a little. He looked rather cute like that. Almost like a little kid who'd lost a schoolyard fight and was trying to save face… Just a lot older and stronger.

She'd learned a little about the kitchen and grabbed two bowels and some instant ramen. While she was at it, she also grabbed some aspirin and a washcloth. Setting up the ramen in the microwave, she grabbed each of them a drink and wet down the cloth. She went back to him, sitting down next to him. The clash of steel against steel started up in the dojo, floating through the air to them and Mikey looked ruefully towards it.

He jumped when she patted at his mouth with the cloth. He turned to look at her. 'The hell are you doing?' Look on his face was priceless. She showed him the bit of blood on the cloth. He looked between it and her for a moment. "It's okay to say that you're hurt, you know," she almost scolded. She tried not to blush as she removed the blood from his face. He was staring at her. His big blue eyes glued on her, as if he saw something she didn't when she looked in the mirror. The ramen dinged.

They moved to the living room. She scanned the movies. Mikey sat on the couch, watching her. She had to admit, his ability to zero in on her was impressive. She didn't think that there was anything special about her, but the way that he tracked her movements proved that he found something. Her eyes roamed that large expanse of the collection. There was something from every genre here. What the collection lacked was some kind of organization. Finally, something jumped out at her.

"Oh my god, I haven't seen this in forever!" Snatching the movie from the shelves, she proudly showed it to Mikey. "We're watching this one." As if she'd said she thought he might taste good in a soup, his face went pale. "Um, uh, o-okay," his smile was forced. Suspiciously, she put the movie in. She bit her lip as she worked the DVD player. Maybe it was actually porn or something. She stopped herself from laughing at the thought.

"I actually got to go to a real joust once. It was at a renaissance fair a few years back. I have to say, the sound of the lances breaking is pretty cool." She informed him as she sat down next to him the couch.

"I bet, I like seeing them get thrown off their horses." Mikey chuckled. "You never know what will happen, but seeing them being flung around is awesome." At that, Becca did laugh a little.

As the movie started, Becca settled down, grabbing her bowl and enjoying the experience. Not long into the movie she started to laugh. Mikey would laugh as well. They would both groan, hold their injured body part, look at each other then laugh again. It was nice. They shared the same sense of humor, and they were in synch. She found herself almost leaning on him. A few inches separated them, helping her save some face. She was so drawn to him though. She reminded herself that she was only going to be here until she found a job, and then she would have to leave. She'd probably never see him again.

Sad, she focused back on the movie. 'A Knight's Tale' was a classic. Romance with a clear villain, and an underdog hero who trumped all odds thrown his way. Although his hardest battle is with the woman that he tries to win over and not in the jousting matches. 'If you would prove your love, you should do your worst.' Jocelyn asked. Becca had always thought that Jocelyn was a bit conceded to ask Will to do so. Yes, it was a test and more than enough proof, but still, taking all those hits for her was absurd. Mikey started to squirm around.

Taking her eyes away from the movie, she looked at him. He was a little flushed and seemed to be uncomfortable. It was odd. A little while longer, he got even worse. Will was in the middle of telling his friends that he was proving his love to Jocelyn. 'But he legs haven't been uncrossed,' Will explained.

'Then why are you doing this?'

'Because I love her,' Will nearly sighed. Now Mikey used the bag of peas to cover his face. He looked ridiculous. "Why are you doing that?" She laughed. "Uh, I was trying to get my cheek," Mikey lied. An obvious lie, he wasn't very good at it. He couldn't even look at her. She shook her head. He was being weird. He'd lost two days in a row to every one he'd fought. Now he was acting like he was embarrassed. Lying and not able to look at her. This was the first time she'd seen him like this.

Slowly, it dawned on her. This movie, this was the explanation. This was why he was acting like he was. This was why he was holding a bag of peas against his face. He was Will. She was Jocelyn.

*)O(*

The movie yesterday had almost shattered everything. He tried to avoid Becca for the rest of the day. Which was hard because she seemed to be seeking him out. She purposefully sat down next to him when dinner came. She wanted him to play more Borderlands that night. What he wouldn't have given for a new party to pop up. If something, anything could have drawn him away and given him reason to put a distance between them.

It wasn't that he didn't want to be near her. It was what he wanted most, out of nearly everything. He couldn't lie to himself though, he was embarrassed, ashamed. Not just because the movie had almost given away his plan, but because he finally realized what Donnie went through every time they all watched an R-rated movie together.

'A Knights Tale' had a small, almost modest, sex scene in it. Normally Mikey wouldn't even pay them any attention. The scenes weren't the same since he'd gotten past puberty, he tried to laugh to himself. What happened though, when that scene came on, was something he hadn't ever experienced before. Becca had started to squirm, her eyes locked to the screen. Her crossed legs uncrossed, crossing again, and Mikey nearly lost himself.

The scent was almost familiar. He'd smelled it on women throughout the city. He knew what it meant. He'd smelled it on April and Sara before. Sometimes they stank because of it, the smell so strong he was glad that they were usually going to take a shower. He would never admit out loud but sometimes the smell, when faint enough, was arousing. He knew it was from the animal part of him, so normally he dismissed the thoughts and went on with what he'd been doing. No second thoughts, or worry over the subject.

The smell on Becca… The aroma that she gave off as she bit her lip, re-crossed her legs again, licked her full bottom lip… This was a different thing entirely. He could have lived in her smell. Heavy and slightly bitter with the faint smell of something sweet. Dark chocolate, he'd realized. A fine dark chocolate that was smooth and rich.

His mouth watered. His eyes could only see her. He'd forgotten the icepack entirely. His hands clenched again and again on his thighs. He'd left bruises where his hands had been. He didn't know how long he'd been staring at her. He knew as he stared that he pleaded with himself not to touch her. If he touched her, he didn't know that he would have been able to stop. He scared himself. The only thing keeping him in check had been a lifetime of discipline.

Slowly the smell faded. He hadn't noticed it at first, his brain only continued to focus on that one thing. His nostrils flared trying to grab the tail end of any of the intoxicating scent. When everything the smell brought faded, his eyes seemed to open up again. He'd had his eyes open the whole time. The world had come back to him with a blink. Finally he had been himself again, just extremely uncomfortable in his shell.

The rest of the day every time he'd seen her, he'd remember the smell. Her smell. Something he had no control over that drew him even closer to her. No other woman's scent had ever done that to him. Not even when he'd been a hormonal teenager. He didn't trust himself around her. He could hurt her.

He shook himself as Splinter announced that today would be more sparring. Here lately everything came in weeks. Weapons, stealth, sparring, kata, meditation, all of it crammed into its own week. Of course, a little was sampled every day but the focuses shifted. They were masters of their crafts now, except Sara. They could only progress so much farther in any direction. The solid drilling seemed to help reconnect them when they became out of balance.

His first opponent was Donnie. The genius was smirking. No doubt that his brother had figured out that it would be an easy match. Donnie was too smart for his own good. Mikey silently hoped that he'd take it easy on him at least. Compounding his injuries on the daily wasn't a good idea to start with. When said injuries came from his brothers, it was even worse. His eyes flickered over to the sidelines. Becca hadn't showed yet. Sighing, Mikey took his stance.

The door to the dojo thrust open. Becca ran in, running at him. "Sorry," she threw to Splinter. Donnie looked taken aback as Mikey checked to make sure he wasn't preparing a move. Becca skidded to a stop before him. She huffed a few times, bent over, hands on her knees. Her blond hair fell over her shoulders, swaying. She stood up, smiling. The bruising on her face was starting to clear a little and her grin was wide.

He'd noticed that her blushes started at her neck, not her cheeks. Becca cleared her throat, her blush rising up her neck, stepping close enough to whisper to him. "You will not lose another match…" She paused, the flush carrying over to the unaffected spots of her face now as her hands cupped her mouth. "You will win this tournament." Her rushed words pour over him while she ran to the sidelines. He filled in the missing lines by memory.

She'd omitted those lines on purpose, yet she knew what he'd been doing. His own flush started. "Begin," Splinter's voice interrupted him. He dragged his eyes away from the blond. His jaw protested from the yesterday's punishment as he grinned wildly. It might have been embarrassing to get caught, but it would be even more of an embarrassment not to give the lady what she asked for.

He could see it on Donnie's face. His brother knew that Mikey's mental state had changed. Now it wasn't about minimizing the force of blows or slowly down his reaction time. Now, finally, after two days, Mikey could fight again. Deep inside some distant part of himself called out. It begged to take over, to eliminate the other male in front of him. Mikey had never needed that part before, so he tucked it back into its isolated spot. He could mop the floor with Donnie any day.

All three of his brothers lost to him before Splinter swapped him out for Sara. From the sidelines, Becca cheered him on. He walked to her, the smile on her face reserved. "And Oh, how I hate you," he tossed out with a laugh. Becca laughed back, patting the empty space beside her. "Alright, enough with the movie." She teased. "I knew kids got themselves hurt trying to reenact the things, I didn't think a grown man would though."

"Eh, it's part of being the youngest."

"I'm not scared of you," Becca's tone changed. "So fight like you normally would. Don't do anything special for me anymore, got it?"

Mikey's chest hurt. Yes, the main reason had been to show that she didn't need to be scared of him, but there had been something deeper in what he'd done. He couldn't say, even to himself, that he loved her. Not yet, at least. Still, he'd hoped that she would have understood that he'd been trying to prove something… more than that.

Crushed, all he could do was nod.

*)O(*

'A Knight's Tale' is not mine and I do not own it. I only borrowed small pieces of the movie, a total of five lines from the whole movie, all with quotes around them. There, I hope that helps with any stupid legal stuff later down the road. Considering that fan fiction is wrote about said movie, I don't think I should have any problems though.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE MOMMIES OUT THERE!


	10. Chapter 10

*)O(*

It took longer than she thought it would for the swelling in her face to go down. She'd sighed as she called places back, asking them to change up her schedule again and again, taking up more time than she had the last time she'd had to make these calls. A week and a half had passed but she still felt like her face resembled that one girl from the original 'Charlie in the Chocolate Factory.' Blue and swollen, her face wasn't nearly as sore but she swore that she looked even worse now.

Sara and Donnie had tried to explain to her that it was because her body was repairing all the damage that had been caused, but Becca could care less over the reasons why. She just wanted the daily reminder gone for good. Still, they all thought that she was ready to start training.

Mikey's joking voice resounded in her head. "It's not like you can become and awesome ninja like me over night." He'd flexed and showed off. He was getting bulkier. It wasn't much, but she could tell. His green skin stretched finer over the muscles underneath than when she first met him. He was confusing. He'd joke and laugh all day but when it got closer to night time he'd beat the living crap out of the punching bags or lift weights with Raph.

No one was as confusing as Leo though. He'd come and apologized to her a few nights ago. As she spent more time around all of them she started to understand why he was the way he was. It couldn't be easy, and she knew he was only looking out for her too. A new addition into the already long list of things he was responsible for. She forgave him… mostly. She would still keep her secret weapon just in case, so if he pissed her off enough she'd just cry. The thought that such a large and imposing figure would be scared off by some eye water was ironic.

She'd almost settled into life down here. Like she'd told Mikey, not seeing the sun wasn't really bothering her. Night school had meant that she hadn't seen the sun for almost two years except right before school and right before she went to bed. A few months at most wouldn't make too much of a difference. Anyway, Sara had enough UV lamps down here to cause skin cancer. She'd have to remember to tease Sara about that sometime.

It was odd being below ground though. Luckily she didn't have claustrophobia or anything. Except for the complete lack of windows and the fact that the roof domed, the lair was like a house. Homier than anything she'd ever been in before, really. Plants and paintings covered any previously unoccupied space or surface. Random books or magazines lay around, telling small stories about the people that read them. Two 'small' weights, as Raph had called them, sat next to the couch. She remembered clearly that she'd almost called bullshit until she remembered that this dude could basically lift a car by himself. A tea kettle always sat on the stove. The dojo always smelled like incense. The bathmat seemed to be perpetually damp when you stepped out of the shower. Spots on the floor were worn a little, telling just how long the inhabitants had been there.

She sank into the her bed. Too much yet so little was happening everyday it was driving her crazy. The longer she spent with the Hamato clan the more she learned. The longer she knew them, the more she realized she didn't even know who they were. Sighing into her pillow she took a few quiet moments to center herself. Then something tickled in the back of her mind.

Sometimes she wished that she didn't have such a wonderful mind that would kick in and remind her of things. Was it too much to ask for a bit of calm, even inside of her own mind? Still, it _was_ something she said that she would do. In reality, it was something she wanted to do. Mikey still hadn't let her read his book. She sat up, frowning and pushing at her hair.

Where was Mikey?

After training that morning he'd disappeared and she hadn't seen him. She got up and went to his room. The door was closed, like always. She'd never knocked on it before and she found herself hesitant to knock on it. This was the one place in the lair that was strictly his. It didn't feel right to barge in on him. Still, she really wanted to read his book. He was the author; he was sure to have an extra copy or two. Struggling with herself for a few more minutes she knocked.

Silence replied. She didn't hear a shuffle or anything behind the door. She was sure he would have heard her. All the guys seemed to have great senses, even when Mikey had in headphones he could still hear other people talking. She raised her hand to knock one more time.

The door flew open and scared her. A gigantic, almost cartoon turtle head stared back at her. She jumped away, scrambling and falling on her butt. Then the sound of Mikey's laugh came out of the thing. _It had eaten Mikey_! She was almost getting ready to scream for help when the head was removed. Mikey stood with the thing propped on his hip as he continued to laugh. Her heart pounded in her chest. Her hands shook and there he was, laughing. "What the hell Mikey?" She asked as she got up, brushing herself off.

"I knew this thing made some kids cry, but I didn't think it would work on you too." He tried to take a breath but couldn't because he kept laughing too hard. Try as she might, she couldn't stop herself from smiling at him.

"What is that, and why do you have it?"

"I'm Cowabunga Carl, baby." He flashed a huge smile, still chuckling as he struck a few poses.

"Who is Cowabunga Carl? A new addition to Chucky Cheese?" It was an honest question. To her, it was probably something close. There were plenty of knock offs in the city so it wouldn't be too surprising. Mikey, however, looked completely crushed. "I thought that you were Turtle Titian," she added.

Mikey seemed to cheer up a little bit. "That's my night job, this is my day job. I host kid's parties." He whipped out a pair of fake nunchucks and proceeded to give her a little demonstration. "They get a kick out of it."

"I'm sure they do… Hey."

"Yeah?"

"Could you pleeeeease do me a huge favor?" She gave him her best puppy dog eyes, batting her eye lashes.

"Anything," the confidence he radiated was blinding.

"Can I borrow your book."

"Sure, which one?"

"Not 'a' book. _Your_ book."

Suddenly nervous, Mikey looked between her and his room. For a moment she thought he might run away. With a heavy sigh he opened up his door, motioning her inside. The room was cluttered and a little stinky. Bright posters hung on the walls. A desk that slopped upwards was covered in papers. Some had drawings, others had large printed words. A small shelf, that looked freshly hung, sat above the desk. On top were a few piles of books. Some she could tell from a glance were children's books. A few others looked thicker, maybe young adult. Then one stack held nothing but comic books.

Over stepping a pile of CDs that had fallen over at some point she took a look around. A lamp sat on top of the desk. Besides the clutter there were a few piles of CDs that were still stacked up, a row of cassettes and some DVDs. His bed was covered haphazardly with an orange comforter. One of his pillows was on the floor. His closet door was open, showing even more items inside, all of them in disarray.

To be honest, it wasn't nearly as bad as her brother had kept his room when they were younger. Careful not to knock anything else over, she looked over the books on the top shelf. There on top was the book she was looking for. She reached for it, coming up a few centimeters short. Mikey chuckled and grabbed it for her. "Thanks," she murmured then made her way to his bed. She jumped on it, then situated herself against the wall, book open.

Mikey stood nervously. She eyed him over the top of the book as she started to read. The overall tone of the book was mostly sad until the last few pages. The artwork was soft, almost dull. Then a pop of orange on a page turned everything around. The young mutant finding friends and finally being happy. She'd half expected it to be about him, another version of Turtle Titian or something along those lines. Maybe it was deep down, but the level of individuality in the character was on point.

Becca closed the book, finally giving Mikey her attention. "That was really cute. You did great." Mikey blushed, "Thank you."

"You illustrated it too, didn't you?"

"Yeah," the color his face turned when he blushed was interesting. She couldn't name it but it suited him. "You're really talented. I can't even draw a stick man right, I'm jealous." She patted the bed, hoping to draw him into a conversation.

"I've got to go," he lifted up the fake turtle head. "But, if you want, you can read some of my other books… uh, you can come in here anytime to get one." He was cute when he was flustered. Becca stopped herself. Then she took a quick short breath. "All right, what do you recommend I read next?"

"Um, all the ones on that shelf are ones that I've done, but the ones on the book case there are good too."

"Alright, I'll see you later then." He turned to leave. Becca bit her lip. She could do it. She could open herself up again, just one more time. "Hey!" She called, stopping him before he left the door way. She sprung from the bed and took three quick step towards him. Her heart raced. She mentally stopped herself from biting her lip. "Good luck," she whispered as she threw her arms around his shoulders.

*)O(*

"I'm walking on sunshine, whoa oh, I'm walking on sunshine, whoa oh, and don't it feel good!" Mikey jammed to the song as he drove to the party. Becca had wished him luck and he'd be damned if anything was going to bring him down. Her small arms around his shoulders, her chest pressed against his plastron, the smell of her hair as she tilted her head closer to him, and finally the feel of her hips under his hands as he carefully hugged her back… yep he was in heaven.

The party was small, thankfully. But the hour and a half dragged by, yet they had flown away without him noticing. He wanted to get back to Becca. She filled his mind and if he hadn't been doing this for a while, he probably would have messed something up. Instead he found his body mulling through the process and he could tell that he didn't give his performance his all. The stream of kids wanting him to pick them up never seemed to end. The questions from the parents and teenagers were ceaseless. Then Becca would come to his mind. He'd forget his annoyance with the people and focus on just being happy for a moment in his memories.

At last, his part in the festivities ended and he packed everything up. He forced himself to do the speed limit as he went home. There was no need to have to shake the cops today and it would only delay him in going back. He'd never been so excited to get back to the lair. He'd kept it pressed down but now the thought of Becca laying in his bed started to bubble back up. He could picture her, going through each stack of books… Mikey's heart dropped.

Over the top of 'Happy' Mikey uttered, "Fuck the police." Flooring the accelerator just two blocks away from the garage entrance. Hitting the remote button like it was the winning combo to the hardest video game ever, he barely managed not to take the door off as he drifted the van into safety. The agonizing slowness of the lift nearly killed him. Not stopping to say anything to any one he peeled into his bedroom.

There was Becca. On his bed. Her hand hovering over the stack of comic books. The only one in the whole pile that was flipped backwards was under the one she had started to grab. "Becca!" He nearly screamed. He'd startled her when he'd banged the door open but she jumped again. This time she pulled her hand back like she'd been caught trying to eat the last piece of pizza.

"I-I… um, I'm back!" He smiled, trying to laugh without sounding nervous. She looked at him like he'd lost his mind, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. Piles of finished comic books sat away from each other, proof that she'd read each one. He would be surprised if it wasn't for the sheer terror running through him. What ever happened, she couldn't see the next book. He'd rather die than let her see it.

Like he was in some sick version of a horror movie, he watched as her hand descended upon the stack once more. He might not be a genius like Donnie, but living in the sewers your whole life teaches you one thing. A light switch can be a powerful weapon. In this case, it was the only one he would need. He reached out blindly, felt his fingers connect with the switch. Blessedly fast, the light to the room cut out and they were plunged into near darkness.

The light from the hallway was all that lit the room. For Becca it was like being instantly blind. To him it was no different from running the rooftops. He jumped across the room. With his left hand he pushed the top comic book away. His right snatched the next one. With the force of his jump he shoved his little secret into the wedge between his bed and the wall. Becca squealed.

Some reason, some excuse, he needed to think of one fast! Panicking, he grabbed Becca around her waist. Instantly she let out a strangled giggle and Mikey breathed once in relief. Then a pillow hit him in the face. "Stop it," Becca laughed, hitting him again. He laughed and squeezed her sides again. Becca gave up on the pillow and tried to pry his hands away. They knocked over all the comics and somehow Mikey found himself laying on his bed holding Becca up in the air as she fruitlessly tried to free herself.

He laughed hard, the sides of his shell starting to hurt. Somehow she managed to cross her arms and pout down at him. Her feet barely touched his shell as she let them dangle. Her hair fell like a halo around her face. She was still bruised but some of her color had returned and the swelling had went down quiet a bit. Still, her features from that first night were burned into his mind. Not to mention she had some photos that she'd brought from her house.

"Alright, alright, you win this round," she huffed. "Let me go," she demanded. To his amusement he could feel her try to stomp her foot on his shell. "Let you go?"

"Yes!" Mikey flashed her a wicked grin. Realization spread over her face as Becca understood what he had meant and what she had said. Before she could panic Mikey dropped her. The scream she let loose was close to one Sara would give when pissed off. Not willing to risk her getting hurt, he caught her, slowing her fall to his plastron.

Jell-O had more constancy to it than her body when he laid her on his plastron. She panted, clutching his shell, shaking in his arms. Before he could begin to savor the feeling Becca sat up and grabbed the pillow again. This time she tried to smother him. "Don't ever do that again!" She hissed before lifting the pillow and slapping him in the face with it.

She had straddled his plastron. Her arms held up the pillow as if it posed some real threat. She glared at him, watching him for any movement. It was almost funny. Him, move, now? As if, hell, he wasn't even chancing breathing. The sight, smells and feeling of her like this were making his head swim. Noticing her position she nearly jumped off his bed. Uncoordinated, she didn't clear her foot and her face started to plummet to the floor. Ninja reflexes kicked in. He grabbed her wrist, pulling her back onto his bed and to safety.

Her eyes wide and mouth open she was just starting to put her hand up to catch herself when her back touched the wall. Trying to play it cool, Mikey smiled. "The first step's a dozy." He'd twisted himself to lay on his side. Becca blinked, looking at him. She put a hand over her heart, panting. She chuckled nervously. "Now you tell me." She got up slowly this time, jumping over him and the edge of the bed with ease.

Light blinded him. The flood came from the bulb above his bed, lighting him starkly. Becca started to laugh. Squinting, he tried to find what was so funny. "Oh my God, that's priceless!" She pointed at him. He looked down at himself. He was laying in a pile of comics, some of the pages opened. His bed was a disaster, everything askew. He laughed as well. He was sure the sight was, as she said, was priceless.

She came back over to the bed, starting to pick up the books. He helped her, the stack neat and orderly when they were done. "Thanks."

"No problem." Becca said, distracted. She lifted up the comforter and sheet. Moved the pillow's he'd put back on the bed, looking for something. "Did you lose something?"

"I can't find the other one." She huffed. She got up and even looked under the bed. Sweat started to bead on his forehead. "What other one? We have them all stacked." The lie was bitter. Then Becca searched the space between the bed and the wall.

In her hands was the only near porno magazine that he had... That he had made. "See, told you there was another one." On the front page was his classic hero, Turtle Titian, embracing a small blond. The woman was looking at him with bright blue eyes, closing in to kiss the hero. Inside, he knew what the comic book held. Becca seemed unfazed, tossing the comic into the neat stack. Then she stood on top of the chair in front of the desk and returned the pile to the shelf. Mikey remained silent. There was no way that she'd read every single comic book in that stack. There was no way that she was just going to dismiss the near porn that he'd written.

Sure, he'd published it. Sure, a few hundred thousand people had read it by now. Sure, he hadn't included actual sex in it. But everything was vivid and he'd left no secrets within the pages. "You're a really good writer, by the way." Becca smiled. She was grabbing one of the short stories. "And your art is even better." She jumped from the chair. Mikey held his breath. "I really liked issue 23, by the way." With that she nearly ran out of his room.

Mikey sat blushing. Issue 23, the one where Turtle Titian gave into his animalistic side for one night with someone he'd saved. The person looking almost exactly like Becca. Blond, bouncy hair, clear blue eyes, a wide smile, a wicked sense of humor… It was like he'd drawn her out before he'd ever met her. Groaning, Mikey flopped backwards onto his bed. Then sat right back up.

She'd liked it.

*)O(*

A/N: Alright guys, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, really I am. This is probably the worst chapter I've written, but I couldn't get it to come out right and I needed it to keep this going the way I wanted it to. The next one will be better… I hope.


	11. Chapter 11

Fearing what was about to happen, Mikey clenched his fist. Not too tightly though. A new shell cell, with little orange kanji written on the fake scutes. It was smaller than the others Donnie had made, a specialty for Becca. Holding back what would have been his thousandth sigh, he looked to the lift. For a moment he thought about hitting the E-Stop button. Holding back another sigh, he shook his head. Sara was down stairs so that wouldn't work.

Work. It seemed as if that was the only word he could think of today. Work. Not him, oh no, not him, of course. Becca… Becca was getting ready to go looking for that four letter word that started with W. He'd tired not to be under her feet too much but it was difficult. He knew she'd be gone. Letting out one long, heavy sigh he tried to cheer up.

At least she wouldn't be going out completely on her own, he tried to tell himself. Sara would be going with her, waiting at a computer café just a few blocks away. If for some reason the panic button was pressed, his sister would be able to get to her in a matter of minutes. He pouted. Unlike him, who would be stuck down here if something did happed, which would mean that he wouldn't be able to protect her.

The lift started to hum. He could see chains and gears moving. He flipped the phone open. The panic button, orange and glaring, stared back at him. In the middle of the phone it was surrounded by other colorful little dots. Two purple, another orange towards the top, then a red and a blue. The key pad had been programmed with a few short cuts. One through four called him or his brothers. Five was set up for Sara's number. Six and Seven were for April and Casey, in case Sara was called but wouldn't be enough.

He clenched the phone. It was the only way for her to contact him. In daylight he couldn't just go to the middle of town and save her. He was useless until nightfall. He sighed, rubbed his face and walked over to the lift. He would have to ask Donnie how he'd ever let Sara out of his sights. At least Sara could protect herself for the most part. Becca was smaller, more fragile.

He smiled a little, a memory from a few nights ago popping up in his head. She wasn't completely fragile. Her training had started and for the first time she'd been able to throw Sara over her shoulder. It was one of the easiest moves to learn, but still, it was something. The pride and joy on Becca's almost healed face had made his heart throb. She'd proceeded to jump up and down, flailing her arms, squealing. "Oh my god, oh my god! I did it! I did it! Did you see that?" She'd ran at him, arms open. Hugging him hard enough around the neck little black and red specks tinged his vision, she'd let out a laugh of relief.

Mikey knew he was a touchy-feely person. He craved contact. Becca's new found obsession for hugging him set him body on fire. He wanted her. To hold her, to feel her soft small body pressed against his. Every time she hugged him, he stopped himself for enveloping her in his arms. Instead he'd rest his hands on top of her hips, just slightly returning the favor. She'd dropped herself back to the floor upon releasing him. She ran over to Sara, who had laid still on the mat, her stomach and shoulders moving as she covered her hand with her mouth to stop herself from laughing. "I don't know which of us is more surprised," Sara had giggled.

Chatter dragged him out of his memories. Becca and April cleared the floor to the garage, their happy talking breaking the silence around him. Becca raises an eyebrow. Any tiny flaw she might have had was covered by makeup and her eyes shimmered underneath the shades of tan she wore around them. Her orange dress swayed as she walked to him. "Hey, I couldn't find you down stairs, are you here to see us off?"

"Yeah," he grinned just from seeing her so excited. "I have a good luck present for you too." He opened his hand, exposing the small cell phone. Her eyes lit up as she eyed the small thing. Hesitant, she took it from him, opening it and looking it over.

"The buttons are color coded, so press them if you need to send an emergency signal to one of us. Sara is the purple one on the right. The big orange one will alert all of us, Casey, April, and even Marcus. If you just want to call then Leo is one, Raph is two, Donnie is three and I'm four. Then it goes Sara, Casey and April." Becca looked him dead in the eye as he talked. It was actually a little unnerving. Her eyes bounced back the light from the windows on the second story and her teeth clenched her lip. She looked back down at the phone once then up at him again. Her arms flew around him, her small frame pressed against him.

For one small moment Mikey caved and wrapped her in his arms. He inhaled hard, memorizing the smell that she gave off. He noted that she was just big enough that if he turned his wrist, he could still hold onto her hips. "Thank you so much!" She squeezed him even harder. He prayed she wouldn't ever let go. Then Sara cleared her throat. He held back a groan as Becca jumped. However long they'd been like that, it hadn't been long enough. Becca didn't let go of him completely. Sliding down to the ground she brushed a kiss over his cheek. That had to be an accident, he told himself immediately. The wink that Becca gave proved him wrong. "I'll be home soon." She smiled then nearly skipped to the door.

As she left he held his cheek, grinning.

*)O(*

"Okay, um, not that I wouldn't be thrilled, but are you okay with…" Sara stopped herself. How could she really give advice on love? Her even bringing it up might cause Becca to rethink it herself. If Sara turned out to be the reason she decided not to even try being with Mikey, she'd never forgive herself. "Ok with what?" Becca asked as she fiddled with the new shell cell.

"Opening up again?" Sara had heard her story. She knew the reason why Becca didn't try to date. The part of her that told her she needed to be a good sister was eating her up. "I-I don't really know." Becca confessed. "But, if I don't try, how will I ever know?"

"I meant, uh, are you ready to try, you know, with him?" Tip toeing around what she wanted to say wasn't really her strong suit. She liked that Donnie understood that about her. "Why not him?" Becca frowned. "He's nice, gentle, funny, cute…" She'd started to smile but was blushing now. "He's a good person." She declared and tried to go back to her phone. Sara grinned. The girl couldn't stop blushing right then to save her life. "Cute, huh?" Sara teased. "I think you mean you think that he's handsome."

She couldn't help but laugh as the tint on Becca's face deepened. "Do- Do you think that I'm weird because of it? I mean, I know that you love Donnie, but…"

"No," Sara stopped her. "Well, yes, a little, but that's because you picked Mikey, so you have to be at least a little weird. But the fact that you can look past everything else means that, even if you are weird, you are an amazing person." Becca smiled awkwardly then hugged her.

"Thanks."

They walked to the coffee shop together. Becca waved, continuing on. "Sara!" Marcus smiled. Large sunglasses almost blocked his face and as was appropriate for the weather, he was in jeans and a long sleeved shirt. Although he would wear the jeans in the summer, and a long t-shirt at least. Every time she saw him she felt a little guilty. No matter how much he tried to tell her otherwise, she still thought that what he had endured was her fault. "Hey," she called back. Silently she hoped Becca would do well today as she went to join her friend.

*)O(*

It was getting late. They'd left early that morning but by the time Becca got done with her last interview the sun was high in the sky and starting to move to the horizon. She was ready to sit down and relax. She hadn't gotten a solid 'yes', but she had gotten a second interview at two places and the response that they would have to check her background before notifying her again. It had been the best day she'd had job hunting so far. Her new phone chirped and she opened it. 'Hey, come to the grocery store two blocks down from the coffee shop, I'm getting groceries. -S-'

Groaning, she continued on, the large store visible from the café. So many people flooded the street it was getting harder and harder to move through the crowd. She'd almost forgotten what it was like to maneuver through everyone. In the lair there was enough room for everyone to have their own space. It was a miracle that somewhere so big existed below their feet. Caught up in her own thoughts she kept on walking.

She was a few yards away from the store a hand snatched her by the arm. "You!" Venom seethed from the voice and she spun around to face the person. Liam. His bruises still visible, his nose crocked. Pure rage spewed from his eyes. The sight of him made her choke. He drew back his hand. Something inside of her kicked into gear and she screamed. The crowd of people around them turned and stared. She could see a few cell phone coming out. She screamed again and crouched, putting her hands over her head. Some of it was real fear. Some of it was knowing he wouldn't do anything with people watching him.

She didn't look up until someone else said something. "Are you okay ma'am?" A woman's voice, soft and tender. She looked up and Liam had disappeared. Shaky, she gulped before answering. "Ye-Yeah, who was that guy?" She lied, playing ignorant and innocent.

"I don't know, honey. Why did he try to hit you?"

"I-I think I might have bumped into him or something." She stood up when the woman offered a hand.

"Fucking jerks," the woman threw over her shoulder. "Do you want me to walk with you?" She turned back. Becca shook her head. She gave a look around. "I'm meeting my sister at the store right there. I'll be okay. Thank you so much for your help."

"Don't worry about it, we women have to stick together in this world." The woman smiled and waved, walking away.

Only in New York could someone almost get assaulted on the sidewalk and everyone else not bat an eye, Becca thought as she waved back to the mystery woman. Taking a few deep breaths as the rest of the onlookers started to fade away, she calmed herself. Her eyes stayed open as she stepped into the store. She opened her phone and pressed five. Sara picked up within two rings. "Where are you?"

"I'm by the deli."

"Liam found me." She tried to say it calmly but an edge of panic was raising inside of her.

"I'll be right back-" Sara said to someone else. "Stay right by the door, I'm coming for you. Did he follow you in?"

"No, I scared him away." She informed her as she grabbed a cart. "He tried to punch me around a bunch of people and I screamed."

"Good. Did he say anything to you?"

"Not really."

"Not really or no?" There was an edge of annoyance in Sara's voice as she asked.

"All he said was 'you'."

"No threats other than trying to assault you again?"

"No."

"Okay, I'm almost there, keep an eye out, make sure he doesn't come into the store. I'm going to hang up now."

"Okay," Becca nodded and closed her phone. The windows at the front of the store became her main focus as she tried to look like she was waiting on someone. Technically she was, but she didn't want anyone to think that she was also on guard.

She heard Sara's voice before she saw her. "-the van to the store, yeah, the normal one. Thanks Casey. I'll even grab you some of the flaming hot chips that you like. Yeah, I can see her now, she looks okay. I've got to go, get here as soon as you can. Okay, bye." Sara jogged a heavily loaded down cart the last few feet. For a moment she was left standing there as Sara walked around her once. "Good," Sara sighed. "If you'd gotten hurt Mikey would have killed me."

"No he wouldn't, he'd just prank you for the next year straight." Becca teased. Well, she thought she did, but Sara turned a little pale. "Oh, goddess help me, I think I would rather die." Surprised, Becca burst out into laughter. The people in the store turned a head then ignored them.

"Yeah, yeah," Sara waved. "Come on, now that there is a second cart I can do all of the shopping today." Becca followed Sara through the store. Sara's cart was already over full but that didn't stop her from almost filling Becca's. She almost thought that Sara was playing a joke on her until she remembered the take-out from Murakami's. Thinking about that they might have even needed a second cart. The store people acted like it wasn't unusual. Most of the items were in bulk. Some made Becca wonder how they even got packaged at all. "I didn't know they made toilet paper in 88 rolls." She confessed.

"The bad thing is that it will only last a month," Sara laughed softly.

The cashier even greeted Sara by name. "You come here a lot."

"Sure does. Usually she comes in with the other redhead though, you should see those two." The tall blond man said with a wink. On a level that she wasn't aware of, something happened. She didn't take the wink as a friendly gesture; the sight of him doing it made her scrunch up her nose like she'd just walked in dog shit. She stopped herself right away. What was wrong with her? Here was this nice gentleman who had tried to be nice to her. She shouldn't have felt like he was being rude or disrespectful. Maybe he was even trying to flirt with her.

That thought made her turn up her nose again. Stacking things on the conveyer belt she told herself to knock it off. There was no reason why she should be acting like this. Then some small thought creepped up in her head. 'He wouldn't do that if he knew you were taken.' The giant jar of pickles that she'd had in her hand slid the last few inches onto the belt. The sound made her jump. Sara whipped around, eyeing the jar and then her. "Sorry, butter fingers." She tried to smile. She picked up the next thing, trying to look innocent. "Hey, who's the cutie, Sara?"

"She's my sister… Well, almost, she's my fiancé's brother's girlfriend. I finally got her to come shopping with me for everyone."

"Aw, too bad you're taken," the cashier mourned. "He better be a nice guy to have someone like you."

"He is." Becca said with more conviction than she intended. Sara was smirking. Smirking like Mikey would if he'd just heard her say that. She put her head back down, eyeing the rest of the things in her cart. One giant package of water bottles glared back up at her. "Uh, can I get your scanner thing?" She blushed. Sara had lifted into the cart with no problem at all. The sheer size of the thing made Becca doubtful that she'd ever be able to lift it.

Casey pull up on the side of the store. Clouds were gathering in the sky. It had been nice earlier but now the temperature was dropping as she was glad she could be somewhere with a heater on their way back home. She helped Sara and Casey, who were extremely quiet, load up the van. It was done quickly and they moved their carts to the holding area. Sliding into the van and the warmth within Becca couldn't wait to get home. She no sooner sat down than arms were around her.

"Are you okay, did he hurt you? What happened, are you alright? How did he even find you? Where were you at when he touched you." The voice broke into a growl. "Where did he touch you, are you okay?" Mikey's arms held her from the back seat. The small scare he'd given her made her let out a nervous sigh of relief. "I'm fine Mikey. I handled it." His arms loosened and she turned around to face him.

He was the most confused she thought she'd ever seen him. He looked worried, happy, angry, relieved, proud and scared all at the same time. "Please tell me you threw his ass."

Becca laughed. "No, but I'll remember to do that next time." She scrambled over the middle seat and sat next to him. The windows were tinted almost black and the sky was darkening, letting him sit in almost safety. "You should have called me, Becca." Mikey pouted.

"I didn't want you to worry, I had it covered anyway." She bit her lip then hugged him. She'd been trying to get a hug from him but usually he'd pull away or hold her at arms length. Not that morning and not now though. His strong arms wrapped all the way around her, making her feel small. His arms crossed in the middle of her back and his hands still held her hips. He squished her against his plastron and she tried to press even closer.

It was like a damn inside of her burst and she didn't want to try to fix it. Emotions that she'd held back from giving to anyone in a long time sprung forth. She wanted to trust him. Hoped that she could be with him, and that he'd want her to stay. Fear that he might turn her away, or that he would grow tired of her. A few tears leaked from her eyes but she ignored them as Mikey held her until they got back to the lair.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: THIS IS THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE DAY. Make sure you didn't skip the last one!

*)O(*

As much as it annoyed him, he had to smile. Something had changed in the dynamic of them and while it was almost painful to watch, it brought hope at the same time. Becca and Mikey did everything together. They ate together, they played games together, they trained together. Hell, so far the only thing they weren't doing was sleeping together. Part of the reason it got under his shell was because they didn't even realize they were doing it. Raph sat in the chair, watching TV with them.

Besides maybe holding hands while they watched a movie they hadn't been 'love dovey' like Sara and Donnie had. They were like two best friends from high school who liked each other. There was too much laughter. The squealing, Raph clenched his teeth just thinking about it. It had always been one of Mikey less redeeming qualities but now it was even worse. Every time it happened his head hurt. Seriously, he knew they were excited, but come on, did they really need to do that every time? Just why in the hell did they have to be so in synch with each other anyway.

Covering his head as the main character confessed their love, Raph prepared for another attack. The sound was grating, never fraying, and annoying. Yet, as he watched them together even he couldn't gripe about it too much. His little brother was happy. He couldn't, wouldn't, ruin that.

Raph and Leo would be able to survive being alone. They were the strongest. Mikey, on the other hand, well, he needed this. He needed Becca. Even if they turned out to be just friends, Mikey need her. She was everything he needed. While he and his brothers put up with Mikey's goofiness, Becca embraced it. They were all proud of him as he became a published author, but Becca was amazed and overjoyed. She took the few small pranks she'd received in good humor and had even paid him back for one or two. Inside she shone as brightly as Mikey did.

Raph hadn't noticed that Mikey's light had started to fade until Becca had showed up. He'd noticed something, but he hadn't been able to name it. Emotions weren't something he was good as showing or picking up. Depression, fear, loneliness, desperation, those weren't things he often thought about. He'd felt them, but didn't have any out let but anger for them. Mikey had always hidden his somewhere in his heart. Mikey had been the light in their lives for as long as Raph could remember. Now Mikey had another light, one that nurtured his own.

Raph grinned at the two of them. If Donnie had been able to get Sara, surely Mikey could get his girl too. Raph chuckled to himself. One day he might even find someone too. This was New York after all. If they had found the number of friends they had already, surely there was hope that one day, just maybe, they would all be as happy as Donnie and Mikey.

*)O(*

Her hair was in his mouth. It was in his nose. It had even crept into his eyes, but he didn't care at all. Pushing the pillowy mass away from his face, Donnie smiled at Sara. To any human her body might feel hard and unforgiving with all the muscle she had put on during their time with them. To him it was as soft as a cloud in heaven. She lay next to him, curled up around the arm she used as a pillow.

These were the moments that Donnie took to relish in her. When she was as defenseless and as open as she could be. His heart swelled and once again he thanked whoever might be looking out for them for sending her to him. It was no small feat for her to have happened to end up with him. So many different things had happened that he'd almost convinced himself that it hadn't been coincidence. Maybe it really had been fate, destiny, that had brought them together.

If that was the case then he could stay hopeful for his brothers. He didn't have to feel like he was being selfish. Looking down at Sara, her red hair a mess and a line of drool pooling onto his arm, he grinned. Even if he was selfish, it didn't matter. He would do anything to keep her. If it wasn't for logic he'd say that she had his heart. But logic said that it was pumping too hard in his shell for that to be the case. Metaphorically though, he was all hers. Heart, body and soul. He leaned down and kissed her cheek. She was a fierce woman, determined and strong willed. She was also soft and kind with a heart that could rival Mikey's.

His little brother seemed to have found his own little cache of luck. He wondered if Becca would be for his brother like Sara was for him. Then he shook his head a little. He rested back against the pillow. His body was tired. Sara made sure of that, but his mind was still a little active. Closing his eyes and holding onto his mate as his scent clung to her bare skin, he drifted away again, hopeful for their family.

*)O(*

It was not a good morning. Fog clouded her head. Her mouth was unusually dry. Her eyes felt large in her skull and she almost thought that she might have had a hangover. Her stomach twisted into knots then rolled. It felt like she was a little girl again, hanging onto the merry-go-round for too long. Her heart started to race and she took a few small deep breaths. She knew it would happen, she just needed to buy herself some time.

Stumbling and waking up Donnie in the process, she lurched out of bed. The trashcan became her friend for about ten minutes or so. Donnie had climbed out of bed and was holding her hair out of her face as she emptied her stomach of what was left from dinner the night before. "Stomach bug, bed and lots of fluids," Donnie ordered.

"Sure, sure," she groaned. "I need to brush my teeth first."

*)O(*

Sara was in bed. Donnie's orders. Becca pouted. She was supposed to practice her throws some more today. Leo stood in front of her, trying to show her how to shove someone's nose into their brain on Mikey, who didn't have a nose. Sighing, she looked on. Leo grabbed Mikey by the shoulder again. Mikey smirked and kick Leo in the shin, punched him in the throat then elbowed him in his armpit when Leo grabbed his throat in shock, making Leo fall over, clutching different parts of his body. "Best way to drop someone, really," Mikey grinned. "Cause if it's a guy he's going to expect you to go for his jewels."

"I wanna try that one," she laughed.

"Let me go get the shin pads." Mikey spun and started to walk away. Leo kicked his knee and sent him to the ground before groaning again and holding his side. Mikey scrambled to get back up as he laughed.

Mikey showed her the combo in slow motion a few times then let her try it. Half and hour later her toes hurt and her elbow needed ice. She was sweating, her hair sticking to her face, panting and thrilled to be doing something new. "Alright, that's enough Mikey. Becca, I want five _solid_ push-ups and twenty sit-ups before you do five laps around the dojo. Try not to walk today," Leo ordered.

"Hai, Sensei," she teased. Mikey laughed a little before Leo glared at him. Becca quickly set to her regimen before she could receive the same. "Mikey, it's time for us to spar. You're warmed up, I hope." Becca snickered, lost control of her arms and plopped onto the floor. She hurried to get back into position and started over. Staring at the floor she knew Leo would have given her a momentary glare, although she was most likely safe now. She transferred around the time she heard metal hit metal.

It was scary to see sparks fly and metal clash. They were scarier when they fought like that. Eyes locked on each other, but open to everything around them. She cringed as she got to fifteen sit-ups. Her stomach was the least in shape out of her whole body. She took in a few deep breaths before doing another one. Taking time to watch them as they nearly killed each other. She had never been too big on working out or eating right, but she had a high metabolism which helped to make sure she never got fat. Still, standing next to people like Sara or April still made her a little uncomfortable.

Redoubling her efforts she pulled out the last three and stood, ready to try and run around the dojo. She kept her path close to the wall until she got close to the weapons. She gave those a wide berth, just to be safe. She watched Leo and Mikey. Something was different today as they went blow for blow. She couldn't place it. Usually Mikey was the one doing the bobbing and weaving. Today it looked like Leo was taking that place.

No matter how fast Mikey seemed to move Leo was already gone. Instead of Leo looking annoyed from all of Mikey's teasing, he was throwing it back at him. Today Mikey was the slow one. Today Leo was the provoker. Then, as she rounded for her third lap something changed. Leo could only mock Mikey for so long. He wasn't as long winded as Mikey was. Along with that, Mikey also had better natural stamina and didn't tire out as quickly as Leo did. Suddenly a nunchuck hit Leo in the arm and Mikey dropped them to his sides. Leo hissed. "Alright, alright, I give," Leo groaned. Sweat rolled off both of them. They were a sight to behold.

Her eyes were drawn to Mikey. His light green skin glistened in the pale light. His shoulders heaved up and down. She hadn't noticed before but the sides of their shells were more flexible than the rest, letting the shell move a little as Mikey huffed. She'd noticed that their shells weren't completely rigid before but now the difference was more noticeable. No wonder they were able to move the way they did.

Not paying any attention she ran smack into the weapon shelf. Her ear rang as it had taken most of the hit. She tried to put her hands out to stop its and her fall but something cut her palm. She jerked back, trying to send her body the other way, to save herself. Her momentum was too great. She headed down as weapons littered the floor with a chorus of clangs and thumps from the sharpened steel. To say her life flashed before her eyes would have been incorrect. What she saw was countless stitches and constant teasing. She threw her arms over her face and neck, hoping to save at least that much.

Her shirt nearly choked her. Then the pressure was gone, a hand snaking around her middle and stopping her. Then pulling her harshly against something hard and warm. She was moved again and vertigo consumed her for a moment. When it subsided she looked up. Mikey's bright blue eyes stared down at her, going over her. Someone said something from across the room but she couldn't hear them. Her head buzzed and she was a little light headed. Her brain was still trying to figure out why she wasn't in pain. Then Mikey's free hand, it only took one arm to hold her bridal style, opened her left hand. She hissed and wanted to hit him but her right arm was pinned to his plastron.

Then they were moving and Mikey was yelling. If fire could burn in water, it would like something like his eyes did as he stared into hers. "-fix you up." When had he started talking? His lips were moving but she couldn't really hear him. Adrenaline had filled her body and was trying to decide if it needed to leave or not. As her blood slowly rejected the help adrenaline was trying to give her, she heard more. They were already in the lab. Donnie was there, gauze and scissors in his hands. "-your hand?" He'd probably asked to see it. Becca extended it but didn't open it.

The sight of blood oozing between her fingers made her stop. It was dribbling onto the floor and pooling there. "-you'll have to hold her. She's in shock." Shock. That word registered above the rest. Seeing her blood gushing from her hand, and maybe the pain of the injury had put her into shock. A potentially cationic state where she lost parts of her senses and would become useless, from what she was experiencing at least. She took deep breaths. "That's good," Mikey's voice soothed. Had he been telling her to breathe? She stopped herself from hyperventilating. In through the mouth, out through the nose, deep and even, she pulled air into her lungs then released it. Her surrounding became clearer.

Mikey was holding her arm. His grip almost hurt. She luckily couldn't feel her hand. Donnie was wrapping layers of gauze around it. One, two, three, all of them started to soak up blood and stain before Donnie continued. From the forth layer to the tenth or so, no more blood soaked through. How badly had she sliced it? The rest of her hand was starting to turn the color of rust. Blood drying and coagulating together. "Becca?" Donnie's soft voice called to her, asked her to look at something besides her hand. "This is probably going to hurt, but it's going to help." He held out a needle. Gulping, she nodded but looked to Mikey. She hated needles, hated them with a passion.

Mikey's eyes burned hers as the fire within them still hadn't gone out. With her right hand she reached for him. He held her, as well as he could. His right hand still holding her left. Her fingers gripped the top of his carapace until her knuckles were white. She buried her head into his shoulder as the needle pricked her. She hadn't felt the pain, not really, until Donnie stabbed her. The suddenness of it made her gasp and try to pull her arm back. Mikey didn't let her arm move. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Mikey groaned, his voice hoarse.

She cried as Donnie withdrew the needle only to stick it in again and again. Around the forth time all she felt was the pressure of something sliding into her skin. Still she clung to Mikey who had started to kiss her cheeks, kissing away her tears as they spilled. He went to kiss her cheek again and she turned her head. She rested her forehead against his, feeling closer to him that way. "I'm okay," she reassured them both.

"I'm sorry." A few tears eked out of his eyes. She smiled at him, pain making her strain in effort not to grimace. She removed her hand from his shell and held the back of his head. She pressed his forehead closer to hers. It felt like she was holding them both together. "Donnie, I said I was, fine, let me help." Sara's voice was muffled under a surgical mask. She looked like she was dressed for the ER. "I'm not going to contaminate her, and I told you, I don't feel sick anymore. I scrubbed down and everything."

"Sara," Donnie tried to warn.

"She's my friend, Donatello, now move." Becca and Mikey both laughed. Something that had been straining in Becca's chest loosened.

"Hey, how are you feeling," Becca said. She kept her head pressed to Mikey's. Mikey gave a soft laugh, shaking his head. "Seriously?" Sara growled. She and Mikey grinned at each other.

"She filleted it. It's going to bleed for a while, but it's not nearly as bad as it looks. The pain meds should be kicking in here any minute."

"Pain meds?" Sara asked, amazed.

"Yeah, but I'm okay," Becca tried to reassure her. Sara and Donnie knew, Sara had already told her that she'd told Donnie. Mikey didn't. Hope plummeting, Sara's voice escalated. "You used a needle on her?" Venom dripped from her friends voice.

"I had to-"

"You could have given her a pill, or something!"

"I wasn't just going to let her suffer until a pill started to work," Donnie said, obviously hurt.

Becca bit her lip. Looking into Mikey's eyes, she knew he wondered what the fuss was about. Sighing to herself she looked over to Sara. The redhead looked like she might kill Donnie. "Sara, I'm fine. That was a long time ago. Donnie was gentle anyway." She tried to smile. She was hoping that maybe Sara would drop it. If she did, maybe Mikey would ask about it. "What happened a long time ago?" Damn it, she huffed inside of her head. "Becca?"

She couldn't look back at him. She couldn't lie to him. She couldn't write it off as nothing and tell him that was all that it was. There was pain in her past. Betrayal that ran deep inside, leaving a permanent wound that had only started to scar up. I'll have to tell him the truth, she realized painfully. "I had a really bad experience with needles," she started.

"What do you-" She used her hand to press his head hard against hers.

She took a deep breath. "My ex, he was… nice. At least, I thought so. My dad is… well let's say he has a lot of money. My ex was an All-American kind of guy. My dad liked him. I fell in love with him." She tried not to mock herself. "We had been dating for a year. I thought that I might end up marring him. He hadn't popped the question yet, but I thought, like every girl does, that he'd be the one.

"One day I was dragged into the side of a van. He was there. There were some other guys." Mikey gave off a threatening growl. "They didn't do anything that I was expecting. He… he had a long needle. It was too long, actually. He drugged me." She took a minute to swallow down old fear as it tried to resurface. "They didn't hurt me, not like I thought that they might. But there was always a needle there, in someone's hands. Whatever it was, it didn't last long. I would wake up and they would put me back under, after they were done. He'd hold a gun to my head and tell me to call for my dad. Now I know how long I was really gone. At the time it had only felt like a day or two maybe.

"He had kept me for ransom for a week and a half. SWAT broke down the doors on the barn they were keeping me at. When they opened them he missed with the needle. That's why I have that scar on my arm now.

" At the hospital they tried to put even more needles in me. They… they strapped me down. For my own safety. I was close to starving and dehydrated. I didn't even know it had been him. The drugs made my head fuzzy. When they told me… I had to know why." Her body was shaking and she was trying not to cry. "He-he said it was so he could buy me a ring and get the rest of my dad's money. He put me through hell just for…" She didn't finish. She didn't have to. Mikey had moved and was holding her now. His arms engulfed her as she let a few more tears fall. Her ex wasn't someone to cry over. She'd shed her tears for him and herself before. Now she cried because of the way Mikey held her.

His body trembled. He squeezed her tight. He kept saying he was sorry. He was nothing like her ex. He was nothing like anyone else. He was everything she needed. She pulled away, making him look her in the eyes. Sorrow over holding her down for Donnie was clear. Pity that she'd went through that was over laid with empathy because he'd gone through the same things in his lifetime. He was an open book with an amazing cover. The pages inside drew her into him and she never wanted to stop reading his story.

Letting go of more of her past she leaned in. Her lips pressed against his. They were rougher than a humans and the feel amplified everything she felt because of them. The spark that started in her stomach, the ache in her heart, and the peace her mind found were greater than anything she'd ever felt before. She started to open her mouth, to deepen the kiss when Mikey pulled back and started to rain kissed on her face. At first it was sweet then she started to laugh as he kept it up. Finally she pushed him away, giggling. No sooner did she get some space did he close it, his lips over hers again, making her melt.

From somewhere in the room someone coughed. Jumping like she'd just been caught sneaking a cookie before dinner, she pulled away from Mikey. Donnie and Sara were smirking at them. "Oh, shut up you two," Mikey growled before turning back to Becca and kissing her again. "Well, she's going to need stitches." Donnie warned. Mikey turned away, making Becca growl herself. "Like hell!"

"Mikey," she reached out to him. "I'll be okay, as long as you hold me." Mikey looked back at her, unsure. "I can do it if you're with me." She reassured him.

Sara let out an, "Awww." Becca tried not to blush. Mikey looked into her eyes. The clear blue was burning again but he nodded. "Anything for you, Becca." He murmured then kissed her again.

*)O(*

A/N: Hell yes, even I like this chapter! Even though it didn't have any Mikey in it, it turn out to be pretty good. Please leave a review and Happy Memorial Day!


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: WARNING! This chapter contains graphic and sensitive material. If you are a male, you probably just want to skip after Becca gets punched in the arm for the second time, okay? If you are brave, then go for it.

Okay guys, be mature about this chapter, alright? This is my explanation on how and why pregnancy is possible. I haven't heard it before, and my sister thought it was a good way to explain it. So, some medical stuff happens. If you are female you know that 'this stuff' happens once a year at our 'Woman Doctor' appointments anyway. If you are a male, try doing some research before just laughing at this stuff.

That said, I hope you guys like it, and I hope that the lines I'm drawing are clear to you all. There is going to be a lot of Sara and Donnie in this chapter because like I said, their story progress isn't over.

*)O(*

If she hadn't lived a life of pain before she might have felt sorry for herself. While this pain was deeper than ones she had felt before it was still only pain. Underneath that she kept rage. Deep and hot like the fire she had pulled herself from.

A presence entered her room. Tall and intimidating. The power he exuded always gave him away. "Hello, Hun." She greeted him. The man smirked as she turned her head to look at him in the doorway. "I see you got my message."

"Yeah, I might have killed the messenger."

"I thought you might," she smiled. Even as strong as Hun was, the sight of her distorted face made him cringe.

"So, what do you want?"

"Exactly what my messenger said I wanted. Them."

Hun nodded, walking across her room to the window. The two guards she had in her room tensed up. She waited. He wasn't nearly as patient as she was. "We've both already tried that. Countless times."

"Only a handful of those times did we try it together." The giant of a man wheeled around to face her. "And I happened to know that they have a new weakness. A girl, red headed, but smart like Donatello."

"No, she's blond and likes the orange one."

Karai stopped, tilting her head. This was new. This was perfect. "Then, my dear, I believe that we are both correct." She smiled again. Hun grimaced but Karai could care less. She had his attention now, and he had hers.

*)O(*

He was pumped. Nothing could get any better. He'd walked Becca to the dojo after breakfast. Now they were warming up, stretching. Becca looked to be in just as good of a mood as he was. She wasn't allowed to really train for at least a week, but she was still allowed to stretch and run. They had bolted the weapon rack to the wall. At least next time, if anyone ran into it, it would hold still even if the weapons fell.

Sara waltzed in, looking ready for the day. She started her warm up with them. Splinter came over. Mikey had been talking to Becca so he wasn't sure what had happened. One moment he and Becca were chatting next he was ran over by Splinter. Something wet and hot hit the back of his neck as Splinter ran over his shell and away from something. He groaned, reached a hand back and found vomit on his hand.

Just barely, he stopped himself from gagging. He pulled off his mask and wiped the offensive substance off his neck. He dropped his mask to the floor. Splinter was shuddering, trying to compose himself. Then Sara's hysterical voice kept saying that she was sorry. Mikey stood up, now safe from his father trampling him again. Becca looked to be in shock, staring at something. Mikey turned and found Sara.

He'd seen his sister pretty messed up after some fights, but this was new. Tears and snot were starting to mix with drool and vomit. Her cheeks were bright red with embarrassment and probably some anger at herself. She kept saying she was sorry then ran out of the dojo. Turning to his father, Splinter's whole front was covered in puke. Mikey cringed. Splinter held his breath and walked away.

If the smell was making him feel nauseous then he couldn't imagine what Splinter was feeling. Suddenly Becca straightened up and ran out of the dojo, bypassing a concerned looking Leo. From the hall he heard someone else puking followed by cussing. "Damn it," Raph's voice broke as he let lose in the hall.

"What happened? Why is everyone puking?'

"Dude, I have no clue." Mikey held up his hands in defense. Leo looked between him and then Raph in the hallway. "Grab a mop, Mikey, I think we are going to need it." Nodding, worried, and confused, Mikey did as he was told.

*)O(*

He was quick about it, no time to let this sit idle. Needle in the arm, one and two vials of blood. And the order for a urine sample. To his surprise Sara didn't even argue. Something was up. He couldn't tell what it was without some test so she, for once, indulged him. It could be an airborne bacteria or virus from the sewer. It could be a poison from an enemy's weapon. It could have been a stomach bug… It could have been anything.

Sara laid on the bed in the lab. She threw up two more times but was doing fine. Her temperature was just a little high, but no real signs of fever. Becca had hovered until Donnie pulled out the needles. She was in the kitchen making Sara some peppermint tea now.

His data base was running wild. The programs where installed just like the ones most labs would use. White blood count, iron, potassium, different hormones… everything was ticking away. Something dinged and he turned to face a different set of equipment. Her urine test was already done. Concerned, he rolled his chair over. Eyes darting, brain working, he stopped around the middle of the page. He stuck out his tongue, bit it, then kept on. A handful of lines farther down he stopped again. His eyes grew. Donnie started to pant, trying to stop from passing out.

It was only one test. Just one, it could have been something in the test. Maybe his equipment wasn't completely sterile. Maybe the results were just faulty. The quick test on Sara's blood dinged. He pulled the urine test paper over to it. At first everything was close to matching on the things that had been tested on both. Then he got to the middle again.

Becca came back in, carrying tea. "How's it looking doc?" She joked. Donnie's mouth hung open. His eyes searched the papers again and again. "Donnie? What wrong?" Sara's voice pierced his surprise. He looked at her. Then looked back to the paper. This wasn't right. There was no way. Not unless…

He stopped himself. She'd been with him almost 24/7, there was no way that she could have ever even had the time to do what his mind said she might have. She loved him, she would never do something like that to him. Besides, he would have smelled any other male on her. He looked back down. There had to be something wrong. These couldn't be accurate. How could this have happened?

"You're pregnant." He whispered.

"I'm what?" Sara sat up on her elbow, staring at him. It was news to her as well. "I said," he cleared his throat. "I said that you're pregnant." Sara stared at him. He stared back. Becca stared at both of them. "That's not funny. Now is not the time to try and be Mikey, Donatello." Sara warned him as she narrowed her eyes at him. He stood up numbly and handed her the papers he held. Sara snatched them away.

Her eyes went over them. She'd trained in medical procedures. She'd learned things normal people would never think about knowing. She when her eyes hit the middle of the page, they grew. Donnie watched as she started over, eyes moving back to the top, scanning, searching. She made it to the middle of the page again then continued farther, hitting the next marker in seconds. He watched as confusion marred her face. She looked between one paper then the other. She looked up at him.

Her green eyes reflected confusion and fear. "Donnie?" Her voice was weak. She looked back down at the papers. Tears budded in the corners of her eyes as she looked to him again. "How?"

"Y-you're pregnant? For real?" Becca stuttered into their conversation.

"M-my human chorionic gonadotropin levels are high."

"The pregnant hormone, right? Like estrogen?"

"Yeah, that one too, and some others are.." Sara stopped. She looked into his eyes. "Donnie, how?"

"I don't know." The worry on her face probably matched his. He didn't know how to be a dad. He'd never even thought of it, so they'd never used protection. They were from different species. Even with half of his DNA being human, there still shouldn't have been a way for her to get pregnant.

DNA… blood… his and his brother's blood held mutagen. Sara had even been able to give him a successful blood transfusion because the mutagen had rewired the part that wasn't turtle. He ran back to his table and took one of the smaller cartridges of blood and threw it into a machine that he'd made just to test mutagen levels. It was quick, it tested only for one chemical.

Negative. His mind spun, if it could make sound it would have been humming like a generator. He lowered the tolerance and tried again. "Positive." He whispered as a green light flashed. How in the hell had she gotten mutagen in her body? He rattled off things in his head. They weren't into things like blood bonding or blood play. She hadn't been hurt and gotten his blood on her. He hadn't bled on her in almost a year. The mutagen levels were so low he would usually ignore them. That meant that it had to be something that she'd been exposed to for a long period of time, in small amounts.

His DNA, the way that children are made…

"Sara, take off your pants," Donnie paused. "Becca, go tell Mikey that whatever he does to you, you two are not to have sex!" The out burst was so loud and random that Becca just stared at him. "Go!" He barked. Becca zipped out of the lab, nearly sprinting away from the whole situation. Sara was still looking at him like he'd lost his mind. He grabbed a sheet from a stand before standing beside her. "Take. Off. Your. Pants… Please."

Sara continued to look at him like he'd lost his mind but did as he asked. He reached onto the medical table, found a swab and proceeded to take a sample from between her legs. Dumbfounded, Sara watched as he went back to the mutagen tester. He reset the parameters and cut the end of the swab off, letting it fall into the testing area. The green light dinged. Flashing digital lights told him that the level was high enough to cause low level mutation. Just enough mutation to allow for different species to breed…

He promptly, and a bit belatedly, proceeded to pass out.

*)O(*

Pregnant. The thoughts that that one word brought had never been a bother to her. Once upon a time, after her assault, she'd made sure that she hadn't been, but never after that. Donnie was laying on the floor and she was trying to pull up her pants while reeling from the idea that she might be pregnant. Her episode earlier today and yesterday of uncontrollable nausea brought everything back in line for her. She stumbled as she worked the leg of her pants back into position. A knock startled her.

"Sara? Can I come in?" Mik's voice was nervous. She gulped. "Hold on." She righted her self, made sure Donnie hadn't cracked his head open, then went to the lab door. She opened it. Mik and Becca were the closest, but everyone else stood slightly behind them. Mik's arms wrapped around her. One of Becca's joined the mix as the blond hugged her from the side.

She stood there dazed as the rest of her family embraced her. They were the only thing keeping her up. Her arms wrapped around Mik finally and she let her weight fall on the female rat. No one squeezed her and she was glad for it. She didn't know what she was going to do with herself. She was a kunoichi now, a ninja in her own right. How was she supposed to do her part in this family if she was pregnant.

How was she supposed to raise a child in the sewers? Living down here had never bothered her. She was able to go above ground anytime she wanted. If her child was half Donatello then she couldn't raise it above ground. Stories that the guys had told her about threats of being dissected made her queasy again. Someone would try to do that to her baby. Before it was even born, it had enemies who would try to kill it.

Slowly her family backed away as she started to cry. Donnie groaned and she whipped around to see him rubbing his head. She stumbled over to him, tears crowding her vision. He sat up and looked at her. The tenderness in his eyes was like a knife to her heart.

Whatever happened, they would do this together. She sank to her knees and wrapped her arms around his neck, latching onto the top of his carapace with her hands. He held her firmly. She started to sob and he whispered things to her but she was deaf to anything but the comfort she felt around him.

*)O(*

She watched the whole thing unfold. It was shocking and nerve-wracking, but sweet and amazing. Donnie's comment about no sex had thrown her though. She still wasn't completely sure what she and Mikey were. He hadn't asked her to be his girlfriend and she hadn't thought of it. Seeing Donnie and Sara get the news that they were expecting had been wonderful. Besides them she'd been the first to know.

Mikey was humming a nursery rhyme as they searched through a selection of magazines she'd ran above ground for. "But it's not purple," Mikey complained again. She swatted him on his arm. "Not everything has to be purple. I'm sure you want to see your niece or nephew in something orange too." Mikey didn't have to say anything, the wicked grin was enough to let her know she was right. "Besides, I'm sure we can custom order things to appease his/her parents." Mikey's head was propped on his left arm. His right had been flipping pages until he wrapped it around her. She turned to look at him. Becca knew that look. It was close to his puppy dog eyes but a little different. Giggling, she kissed him.

"That's enough, before you end up pregnant too," Sara growled.

"Damn ninja," Becca cursed as she jumped away from Mikey. At least he was loud. She could hear him coming. Everyone else didn't seem to mind being deathly quiet around her and scaring her out of her mind. Part of her wondered if they thought it was funny. "What's wrong with ninja," Mikey pouted for a moment before become distracted with the magazine again. "Nothing's wrong with ninja, it's just hard living with them and always being jump-scared." Mikey chuckled but gave no other reply.

Sara stood over the top of them. Becca rolled onto her back to look up at the redhead. From this angle she couldn't tell if it was a pout or a frown that Sara wore. "Is that a baby book?"

"No, it's a baby magazine. Mikey and I are picking out things for the baby." Definitely a pout, Becca decided. She watched as Sara shivered, crossed her arms and suddenly looked like she was freezing. "Cold chill?"

"Yeah, I've been getting them since I found out." With a large sigh Sara's pout changed. Becca rolled back over then stood up. Sara was about to ask something that made her really uncomfortable. She and Mikey shared that much. It wasn't that they could read minds or anything, but they could read people. Sara's lean backwards, the way her hands gripped her arms a little tighter, the loss of the frown as she mulled over her thought.

"Becca, um, could you," Sara took a deep breath. "Could you help me do research on prenatal vitamins and stuff."

"Sure, what kind of vitamins did you have in mind? They have lots that you can buy at the store nowadays, I'm surprised you never saw them."

"It's not that I didn't see them, it's just…" Sara didn't finish. Becca smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. Sara didn't need to finish her sentence. It wasn't just Sara who thought that they were invincible. Though, in Sara's case, Becca had to admit that she probably wouldn't have ever thought about it either.

Then she realized that in time, Sara's case might be her case as well. One day it might be her watching as Sara and Donnie picked out things for her and Mikey's child. "Well, you can thank this fancy little magazine right here, there so happens to be a chart for vitamins you should take in the back."

"Really?" Sara's eyes lit up like she'd found gold at the end of a rainbow.

"Yeah, Mikey, go ahead and tear that out for us."

They'd asked Mikey and Leo to tag along. It was getting late, nearly dusk when Sara had finally had enough cross research done to be confident in going to get the vitamins. Becca had picked up on the fact that Sara like to go about things the natural way. More often than reaching for an aspirin, Becca saw her grabbing for powders she kept next to the normal medicine. All of the cross referencing and back tracking and double checking had worn her out. After this Becca would be happy just to cuddle Mikey on the couch.

"We're going to have a family meeting tomorrow to tell everyone else." It was chilly outside but Sara looked like she was dressed for the middle of winter. "But, um, Donnie figured out how it happened." Sara whispered. The guys were on the rooftops, keeping watch. They were out of earshot, surely, but Becca whispered back. "How? I mean, he's half turtle. Isn't there, like, some species line or something?"

Sara chuckled softly. "Yeah, but you're never going to believe the how."

"Then tell me so I can tell you that you're full of shit." Becca joked back.

"His, uh, sperm." Sara blushed. "Like his blood, it contains mutagen. I was um, exposed to it for a long period of time. Add together the fact that, whether I wanted to or not, my body wanted to be pregnant, and this happens." Sara gestured to herself.

"Aren't you happy though? I mean, you never thought it would happen, but it turns out that you two can have a baby."

"Becca," Sara's voice was even softer. "My baby, our baby, will grow up in the sewers. It won't know what it's like to walk in the sunlight or go to school with other kids. It might not even ever get to meet another kid." There was sorrow in her voice. Becca's heart bled for not only Sara, but her baby. Then Becca had a wonderful idea. "Well, you can always give him or her a baby brother or sister." Then as an after thought she added. "Don't turtles usually have like twenty eggs or something like that anyway?"

She might as well have told her that she was pregnant too. The look on Sara's face as she registered what Becca had said was indescribable. Suddenly Sara pulled her to an alley and called up to her fiance. "How many eggs to box turtle lay?" She hissed as soon as a shadow touched the ground next to them. Becca nearly peed herself when she felt Mikey's arms around her. "Warning, fucking warning, remember," she hissed herself. "I said, how many eggs do female box turtles lay, Donatello."

"Oh, full name." Becca and Mikey said in synch. The glare Sara gave them rivaled Leo's. "Th-three t-t-to five?"

"Was that a question?" Sara hissed again. Becca had to give it to her, the sound of her voice was menacing. "No?" Donnie said shyly.

"You're telling me you don't know how many eggs a box turtle lays? Really Donnie?"

"He's right," Mikey saved his brother. Sara looked like she was ready to combust. "Normally we'd be pretty small turtles, and small turtles lay smaller clutches typically." Becca looked back at him. Sometimes she wondered if he just chose when to be a genius. Sara was breathing hard. "Three to five… Three to five…" It was a mantra of breathing and three words. Donnie looked helpless, not sure what to do.

"What about an unltrasound," Becca supplied. Everyone looked at her. In the darkness of the alley it was odd to be able to feel so many eyes on her. The lights around them barely lit the passageway and it was starting to creep her out. "Uh, just my wild shot in the dark here, but uh." Mikey nudged her, nodding. "If turtles lay eggs then you should be able to see how many there are with an ultra sound. You're already having morning sickness so this is your first month, if they were fraternal twins a doctor should be able to see that, right? It might take a little longer but…" The crushing hug from Sara stopped her short.

"My god, woman, you are a genius." Sara praised her. She turned back to Donnie. "And what are you supposed to be again."

"Hey," Donnie grumbled.

"Don't bother, she's female and she's pregnant, she's right a thousand percent of the time now." Becca laughed. Mikey joined her, the humor replacing the tension.

Then Sara turned around and punched her in the shoulder. "Why in the hell did you scare me like that? Twenty? Seriously?"

"Hey, I'm new at this," Becca whined. The punch hurt. Becca pouted until they got in the store. She'd bruise for sure. The 24/7 pharmacy had every sort of vitamin Becca had ever heard of, and more that she hadn't. The prenatal selection was vast but Sara set on the ones with the most natural ingredients. Then suddenly Sara disappeared down an isle. Becca stood lost, holding a basket full of vitamins, looking around her. She walked down a few rows and found Sara loading another hand basket full of condoms. The absurdity of the amount made Becca bust out laughing in an almost deserted pharmacy.

Sara whipped around and glared at her then added a few more packages to the mix. Different brands littered the inside of the basket as Sara picked a couple more. "Seriously, how many do you think you are going to need, you're already pregnant." Becca laughed, trying not to dump her basket as she laughed.

"They're not all for me." The look that Sara leveled on her made her stomach flip. Her laughter dried up and she looked to the basket in Sara's hands in a new light. "Still…" Becca blushed. "There's no way either of us could ever need that many at one time." Sara looked her up and down. The heat in her face grew. "Well, I don't know about you, but I like sex, so, yeah, this will do until I can order in bulk." Becca's jaw unhinged. She and Donnie couldn't really be going at it like that. "And I'm not sure which one's either of us will like, or if some of these will even fit-"

"TMI! TMI!" Becca nearly shouted. Sara chuckled then walked to the front of the store. A young woman at the register started to laugh at the mix of items. "Don't you think it's already a little late, hon?"

"Maybe this time, but I would rather not repeat this." Sara said solemnly.

"We've all got to learn somehow," the lady supplied. Becca couldn't help but to giggle. Sara's look of determination was offsetting to the situation and Becca couldn't help herself. "Stop it, you won't be laughing when Mikey knocks you up." Sara growled.

"Just remind me to borrow a condom." The second punch in the shoulder had been worth it when the lady had cracked up too.

*)O(*

They couldn't go anywhere without something happening. A few alleys away from the pharmacy Mikey had heard something. He'd pulled Donnie with him to go check it out. Now he tried not to grind his teeth as he stood face to face with Liam once more. The man was already backing away from the downed woman next to Mikey's feet. More likely, Liam was backing away from Mikey. Donnie lifted the woman and set her against a wall. "She has a concussion and signs of struggle. Her shirt is ripped." Mikey already knew what had happened. Here he was, trying to rape another woman.

This piece of shit had once laid hands on _his_ woman. Mikey growled. "Donnie, do you still have that tranquilizer on you?"

"Yeah?"

"Shoot this ass hole with it." At the word shoot Liam tried to run. Mikey snatched him up in an instant. Rage flowing through him he slammed Liam onto the ground. "Mike," Donnie hissed as Liam's head bounced off the pavement. The guy was out cold. "Never mind." Mikey said flatly. Liam's jeans were already unbuttoned so Mikey yanked them down even further. Too bad the dude had tried to run, it would have been easier on him if he'd been tranquilized first. "What are you doing?" Donnie asked, hysterical.

"I'm giving him what he deserves. He's a repeat offender. If the law won't stop him, I will."

Mikey took out a throwing knife. The edges were razor sharp. Never in his life had he ever touched another man's privates, but this was a good reason to start. "He'll never be able to hurt another woman." Mikey gripped the man's balls in his left hand and sliced cleanly with his right. For a moment the man woke up and screamed before passing out again. Blood sprayed everywhere. Mikey dropped the now useless pieces of flesh as blood coated his hand. He was disgusted not by the sight or act of castrating another male, but by the thought that this man had been forcing women for a while and had only now been taken care of for good. "Oh god, oh god," Donnie hyperventilated. "I-I, seriously?" Donnie shouted in a whisper. Mikey pulled out a piece of cloth and wiped down the knife and his hands.

Blood was draining from the guy pretty fast. The open flesh was spewing the stuff everywhere. If he died from blood loss then so be it. "Let's move her down a couple of alley's. She doesn't need to be suspected for this." Grimly Mikey lifted the girl once his hands were clean and jogged through the alleys with Donnie sputtering behind him. It took a block and a half before Donnie could form a sentence. "Mikey, why in the hell did you do that?"

Mikey laid down the girl and dialed 911, leaving a description of her being banged up and a guy walking away. Once he was off the phone he went back to the rooftops before answering Donnie. "He was the guy who tried to rape Becca." Understanding cleared some of the concern on Donnie's face. "If it had been Sara, you would have done the same." Donnie frowned but nodded. It didn't matter if Donnie or anyone else approved, Mikey knew it had to be done.

Liam hadn't been satisfied with just one. He'd attacked another, which meant that he'd probably been doing it for some time. It was a part of the job that Mikey hated. They could beat them till they almost died, but they couldn't do anything else. Honor and such kept them from taking lives unwarranted. Liam had no honor. He had to respect either. He was one of the ones that Mikey secretly loathed to watch live in this world.

The darkness was gathering around him. The thoughts that he tried to forget were pressing on him. Then his light appeared. Coming out of the store with bags on her arms, laughing and teasing. From his perch he watched until she and Sara walked into the alley. "Tell Leo, tell Splinter, but don't say anything to Becca." It was a plea and a warning at the same time. Donnie studied him for a moment. "I'm not telling anyone, just don't do it again." Donnie mirrored his plea and Mikey understood the warning.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Side note, if you haven't seen the new movie, you totally should! It was amazing! I loved it! And I'm going to try to veer off and do a couple stories that flow with the newer movies. Till then my stories will stay in every universe like they have been.

Sorry, guys, but I might make some of you cry in this one.

*)O(*

As far as he knew, Donnie hadn't said anything to anyone, and Mikey couldn't express how happy he was with his brother. But, oh boy, did he try. "Here's some strawberry pop tarts, bro," Mikey winked as he set the frozen cheap pastries down on Donnie's desk as his brother answered yet another call on his head set. Donnie raised an eye at him but nodded and mouthed 'Thank you', so Mikey skipped away. Everyone else brought them to him after toasting them, only Mikey knew that Donnie liked them cold. It was cleaning day for him and he set about the lair with ambition to get it done as fast as possible.

Becca was out on another interview and this time April had gone with her. Sara was in bed cursing Donnie and anything male. Telling everyone earlier had been fun. April had been thrilled. Casey was confused. Marcus had waited until he'd heard the why, which had honestly made Mikey laugh, to nod and congratulate them. In the end it ended up with Becca and him pulling out the baby magazines and getting other's opinions on stuff. Everyone agreed that they would have to get the baby something in their own favorite colors, regardless of what the parents said.

The faster he got done, the faster he would be able to start getting Becca's surprise done. He'd started planning that morning when she took off. Now, he was fine tuning the details inside his head as he bounced around listening to his music. Something simple and easy but if he did it right, he was sure she would love it. If there was one way to a woman's heart, it was through her stomach. Any romantic movie that he'd ever seen a guy cook in, usually turned out great for the guy. Becca already knew he could cook, but he wanted to make her something he hadn't gotten the chance to yet.

He nibbled on his lip while holding Donnie's science magazines. Usually he would hide them somewhere, but today he set them back down on the coffee table. The scattered mess of baby magazines with pages bent and mangled from so many people passing them around would have been next. Instead, Mikey couldn't help himself. He sorted the science magazines and the baby ones together, so they were in a pattern. Science, baby, science, baby, Mikey chuckled as he did the closet thing to a prank he dared pull on his brother.

He finished everything else then started in on his mission for the day. It involved cleaning his room. He could clean the whole lair without a problem, but cleaning his room always seemed like the hardest thing in the world to do. He would straighten it up then ruin his hard work looking for something. Then he'd have to clean it again, only to mess it up once more when he couldn't find something else. It was a never ending process and he huffed as he set to work.

It was getting late and he was almost done when he heard April warning Becca that Splinter wouldn't like something. Sara was sitting at the dining room table. She'd relinquished the relative safety of her bedroom when he started to cook. "It's freezing up there! There is no way in hell that I am-"

"Klunk?" Mikey gasped. Becca was holding an orange kitten in her hands. Even though it looked like a tiny ball of fluff, he could tell that it was probably already sick from worms and who knew what else. Still the tiny ball was bright orange, and squirming, playing with Becca's finger's. It was warm and it wasn't being hurt, so it wanted to play.

The memories of his long dead cat came back to him and hit his heart hard. He'd never forget taking Klunk with him above ground while he patrolled that night. He'd never forget the tiny orange body of his one and only pet as he breathed his last breaths. The sound of the car that had mercilessly hit the innocent speeding away when they saw someone rushing to help the cat. His eyes watered. He didn't even feel a sting. The tears came on fast, without warning. Only after they had started to fall did he feel the lump in his throat, feel the wetness on his face and the hollowness of his stomach.

"What's clunk?" Becca asked, confused.

"Klunk was Mikey's old cat who… passed." April tried to explain with discretion.

"Oh, Mikey, you never told me you had a cat before." Becca looked down at the orange wiggling mound in her hands. Mikey had never thought of getting another cat to replace Klunk. No cat would ever be able to fill his paws.

Becca chewed her lip, looking between him and the kitten. "I couldn't just leave it, it's getting really cold up there. I wanted to keep it, or at least find it a home. Would you help me?" She held up the kitten who mewed at the movement. Bright green eyes shone at Mikey. Curious, the kitten mewed again, trying to bat a paw at him. It took a deeper kind of strength than he knew he had to reach out his hand. The kitten batted at his finger before asking to be petted, rubbing his head against Mikey's finger.

There was an ache inside of him that told him it would be okay, and that Klunk would have loved to have this little guy around. The ache also said that this kitten wouldn't replace Klunk. Klunk had been there first, so he always would be first. Slowly, Mikey took the kitten from Becca. He looked it over. Female, and flea ridden, but old enough to be weaned and eating solid food, the bloated belly letting him know that worms were there.

"First, I need you to help me convince Splinter to keep him." Becca's smile was soft and a little playful when Mikey looked back up to her. Just behind her was Mik and Splinter who were smiling. Well, Splinter was. Mik looked nervous. Just for a second he saw something familiar in his father's eyes. Mischief flashed before his dad opened his mouth. "And," Splinter said a little louder than he needed to causing Becca to jump. "Just how are you going to provide for the kitten, Becca?"

Mikey was glad for his mask. It caught most of his tears and he didn't have to wipe his face too much before he was sure he looked like he was in control of himself again. "I-uh-well-Mikey-I-um…" Becca fumbled, stumbling over her words. Mikey couldn't help but to grin at her. He shook his head at his dad, who gave a small grin back at him. "You said you wanted to find it a home, right?"

"Yes!" Becca sighed in relief.

"I'll take her, if that's okay." He wouldn't actually take it, but it would give her enough leeway with his dad that she'd be able to keep it.

"But, I _could_ provide for her, I got a job!" Becca announced suddenly. April had walked away, rubbing her head long ago, not willing to be a part of everything, but spoke up now. "That's right, she got a job at the pharmacy."

"It's the one that me and Sara went to, to get her vitamins. The lady at the register was the manager and she liked me. She saw us walking by and stopped me." Becca bounce 180 degrees to face him, forgetting his dad. "I got a job!" She squealed, suddenly remembering to be excited over something besides the kitten. Mikey cupped the cat in one hand as Becca launched herself at him. The grumble from the cat who latched it's tiny claws into his hand was ignore as he hugged Becca back.

"That's great, Becca!" He forced himself to sound happy. She got a job. She'd never said anything about staying here. He couldn't expect her to. She was a human. She belonged above ground. It would take a little while but she would leave. She would leave the sewers and him. Too much pain was in his heart. He held onto her. She didn't pull away, and he was thankful because he was already telling her goodbye.

*)O(*

She was walking around on air for the rest of the night. Splinter had agreed to let her keep the kitten. She'd told Mikey that she'd honor Klunk and named the kitten Klatter. Mik had been nervous about the who thing. Becca guessed it was because it was a cat and not too long ago, Mik would have had a good number of reasons to be afraid of the predator. The kitten was small enough that it only saw Mik as something far bigger than it's self and had decided that Mik and Splinter were both it's friends. Mik didn't seem too thrilled, but once it was clear the kitten didn't want to eat her, Mik nodded her consent as well.

Then other people showed up, drawn by the commotion. Sara groaned that Becca's boss would never let her live down that one night, but soon stole the kitten away. Everyone heard her when she yelled at Donnie, telling him to make sure his lab door was locked at all times and to put any mutagen into a lock box. Leo just seemed to accept that there was going to be another being living with them and walked away, going back to whatever he'd been doing. Raph stood around, waiting to see the kitten. Sara brought it back and almost handed it over to Becca before Raph snatched it up. "Do not pee in my room," Raph warned the kitten. With that he handed it over to Becca, huffing a warning to her as well. "You'll be the one cleaning it," he grumbled.

All in all, everything seemed to be going great. Then Mikey went to the stove and everything got better. Spaghetti, a giant pot filled with it, and two skillets of sauce, sat on top. Her stomach growled and she remembered that she hadn't eaten since she'd left earlier. Mikey opened up the oven and pulled out four trays of meatballs. Her mouth watered as he dipped them into the sauce and turned the heat up, letting them simmer. "Oh, that looks so good!" She gasped. Mikey grinned, but something was off about his smile. "You bet," he supplied.

He didn't seem right. He should have been shining when she complimented his cooking. "Hey, wasn't it my night to cook?" She accused. Not that she minded at all, he still didn't know. "Surprise," he beamed. Still, something was off. She put it away as the memories of Klunk, which had probably been hard for him. The smell of meat must have hit the kitten because it started to mew loudly. Mikey broke up a meatball and blew on it to cool it. The kitten greedily accepted the treat.

She and Mikey smiled to each other as the kitten yawned between bites. It finished the meat ball then fell asleep in her hands. "Go put her in my room, she can use one of my blankets until we can get her a bed." Becca nodded at Mikey. He was starting to dish out food and everyone was gathering back in the kitchen. Out of everyone, he was the best cook, by far, and his family never stopped letting him know as much. The only time any of them seemed happier was when there was pizza. The family's love of pizza was nearly comical, but Becca couldn't complain.

She stepped into Mikey's room and had to take a moment to make sure she was in the right room. Everything was… clean. Not just clean, but organized. The towers of tapes and DVDs, CDs, and comic books were nowhere to be seen. In a corner by his closet was a new tower of boxes that were labeled. His room looked, empty. But there was something new there. A small table and two chairs. Two candle sticks sat on top of the table along with two sets of silverware.

She sidestepped the odd placement and went to his closet. His blankets were on the top shelf, the last time she'd seen them. Inside of the closet was an even bigger shock than his room. His room, she was used to it being messy, and never completely clean. His closet was the catch all for him, so she hadn't expected there to be any difference here. Instead it was filled with boxes, labeled and stacked neatly. The few items of clothes that he had, were hung up and all of his blankets were now folded neatly. If it wasn't for the drawing desk, superhero posters and orange bed set, she wouldn't have been sure she was in the right place.

She grabbed a sheet, leaving it folded up, and set it on the floor. Placing Klatter on top she took a moment to pause and steady herself. She had a job, she had a pet, and Mikey had went on a cleaning rampage. So many new things, she chuckled to herself. The sound of ceramic tapping something startled her. She whipped around and caught Mikey setting down two giant plates of spaghetti.

He pulled out a lighter as he set down two cans of Orange Crush and lit the candles. Becca's mouth dropped. "Dinner is served, madam," Mikey said nervously, holding out a chair for her. She tried to close her mouth but she kept looking back and forth between him and the set up. He was trying to be romantic! It was the cutest, coolest thing anyone had ever done for her. "Oh, Mikey," she breathed, finally able to work her mouth. She sprung at him, latching onto him. He held her tight. She liked how his arms were big enough that he still held her by her hips when he hugged her. She felt like he could save her from anything.

She gave him a small kiss before taking the seat offered to her. A candlelit spaghetti dinner, she had to give him props, it was a great idea. "How did you find her, by the way?" Mikey asked, pointing to Klatter. "She was trying to eat some garbage. I looked for her mom, or ever some brothers or sisters, but I couldn't find any. I'll try again, but I think that she was abandoned." Mikey hummed around a bite. Becca dug in. It was like an orgasm in her mouth. Everything was perfect. "You've got to teach me how to make this," she begged.

"It's just spaghetti, anyone can make it." Mikey laughed. Becca blushed. She tried to look away from him. "Becca, don't tell me you don't know how to make spaghetti." Mikey laughed even harder.

"My parents always had someone else cook. I was never allowed in the kitchen." It was hard to say, but it was true. She hated sounding like she was still some spoiled brat. She'd learned a few things, but in all honesty, she wouldn't feed half the things she made to a pig. "Wait, are you saying you don't know how to cook?" Becca wasn't sure how much of the horror he displayed was for show. "Like, you burn water and all that jazz?"

Becca flung a meatball at him with her fork. He caught it in his mouth and ate it while she stewed in embarrassment. "I can teach you." He offered. Becca huffed and shoved a bite into her mouth. It was so hard to be mad at him while she ate such great food. Damn him for knowing her weakness. "Fine," defeated she mumbled. "But no teasing me."

"Aww, but-" She flung another meat ball at him. This time he was off on catching it and it hit him in the middle of his eyes before rolling onto his plate. His facial expression made her laugh. There was a line of sauce from his bandana to the top of his mouth. The way his nose was pressed back had assisted in the perfectly formed meatball in it's slow decent. Grimacing Mikey removed his bandana and used it to clean up his face. Then he glared at her.

Before she knew it a meat ball hit her in the forehead. The warm plop of sauce startled her before it fell and hit the tip of her nose, falling onto her lap. Mikey laughed hard and she giggled as she wiped her face with her napkin. She readied another meatball. Mikey opened his mouth, ready for a redemption shot. Becca lifted the fork, aimed, then stuck the meatball in her mouth. "No way am I wasting good food," she grumbled playfully around the bite. Mikey laughed and followed her lead.

They talked about the kitten, what all they wanted to get her. Then about her new job. She'd be working the late shift, and it was actually pretty close to the time when the sun went down. Mikey would be able to walk her to work. Then Becca asked something she'd been wondering for a while. "Why are you still doing children's parties? You're a best seller, after all." Mikey grinned wide. It was like he was letting her in on a secret. "Because I like to do both. None of us really get to be around kids at all, so it's like, my one chance. Well, until Sara has hers," he added. "But I like doing it. It's like playing video games or reading comic books." Becca nodded. She'd figured it had been for money, but she should have figured that Mikey would have liked to be in the spot light.

"It's crazy that she's pregnant. I don't think she knows how to feel about it yet."

"Yeah, I don't think any of us do either, we never thought that any of us would have kids." Mikey nodded. They'd said similar things before, but Becca gripped her shirt underneath the table. It was great to be all fun and games, but she needed to know how serious he was. "One day, it could be us worrying about it." Becca said in a whisper before stuffing her mouth with as much spaghetti as she could fit in it.

Mikey nearly choked on his drink. He gasped and coughed then looked at her. She kept her eyes down, on her plate. It was when he didn't say anything and started to eat that Becca felt like she'd been hit in the stomach. He should have said something. He should have laughed, or teased. He should have said, or done, something, anything. Instead, he ignored her. He never just ignored her. "I'm stuffed," she said, after a few more bites. She couldn't just sit there anymore. The food was like lead in her stomach.

"I'm going to bed, I walked around half of New York today." She stood up and Mikey didn't look at her. "Good night." She forced out. He kept silent, only nodding his head. She made herself walk out of his room. Once she closed the door she bolted for her room. Before she got in, tears were falling and she felt like she'd lost everything. Why hadn't he said anything? Why had he just let he go like that? What did she do that was so wrong? "Idiot, idiot, idiot," she crooned into her pillow. She couldn't express how grateful she was that Mik wasn't there.

Everything felt like it had fallen apart. Why did she have to be so stupid. Of course he didn't want to talk about her ever getting pregnant. What guy ever did? She sounded desperate and stupid. Maybe he didn't even want to… She was human, maybe everyone had been wrong. Maybe it had all been a game to him. Maybe she was just another source of entertainment.

Her heart was breaking. The pain she felt crippled her. She cried into her pillow, trying to muffle the sounds of her sobs. Mikey had rejected her, and any idea of a future with her. She was alone. She'd opened herself up to him and he'd slammed the door to her heart in her face. As she felt her heart fracture she let herself fall into despair. She'd save every penny she could. As soon as she could get away from here, away from him, she'd be gone. She wouldn't bother any of them any more.

The pain of guarding herself once more was worse than breaking. Walls she'd dropped she built back up. To build them she needed anger. She found that the most difficult thing to do. She didn't want to be angry. She didn't want to have to do this. She didn't want to hurt. She wanted to run into Mikey's room and clear everything up, to find out what was going on, why he was like this. Instead she forced herself to lay down a new layer on her heart. She was a game to him. She'd been fun for a while, but he was done playing with her.

Pain and anger were brick and mortor. She lay there, changing herself. Tears continued to fall and her sobs became wails as her world changed. She'd leave as soon as possible. So she wouldn't have to see him, so she wouldn't have to live with this feeling. So maybe one day she'd heal from this.

A/N: Sorry guys, but not everyone can have such an easy time, like Sara and Donnie.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: I'm not proofing my chapters right now because I'm typing them up and sending them out as fast as I can. Sorry, and you're welcome, all at the same time.

And now for the outside view of what's going on! Disclaimer: Yeah, you guys are gonna hate me.

Also, check out down below as I list all the wonderful people who have left a review on this story so far! Just a small thanks for being so freaking awesome!

*)O(*

Donnie was crushing her arm. It wasn't new, or even rare. Sleeping with a giant turtle had some drawbacks. Her ability to flop about in her sleep coupled with his unconscious desire to cuddle her meant that sometimes her appendages would end up underneath some heavy parts of his body. This time it was nearly unbearable. The extra soft mattress didn't help at all as his shell and a good bit of his weight pinned her arm. She couldn't feel it. Well, she couldn't feel from the middle of her forearm down. From there up was a different story. Once that would have scarred her, now she just knew it meant it would hurt like hell when she pulled it free. Grumbling and wiping her eyes with her free hand, she focused on the task. She had to pee.

Unforgiving, she shoved him, barely moving him. "Get off, Donnie." She groaned. Her drowsy fiancé rolled away at her hand pushing him. She didn't even wake him. It had taken a while of sleeping together before they were able to co-exist like this. Before they got used to another being sleeping with them any movement that was too big would have woken the other. Now they just rolled, squirmed or scooted away, not even aware of what they were doing.

Her arm was like lead. She could still move her fingers, but she didn't think that it mattered. Her arm was rushing from blue to purple as blood tried to return to it. "Gonna give me a fucking blood clot," she grumbled. The pain hadn't started yet, and she could only pray that she could make it to the bathroom in time to relive her self before nature decided to do it for her. Having bodies sucks, she complained silently. She made it to the bathroom in time for the pins and needles from hell to start.

Still angry at Donnie, Sara went to the kitchen. All the lights were off. The only thing illuminating the area were the clocks on the different appliances. It was strange. Even if Mikey didn't make breakfast, he'd usually been out here by now and turned something on. It wasn't until she turned the light on and saw the dishes in the sink that she knew something was wrong. Mikey had cooked, and so, like normal, Mikey would have cleaned. For anyone else, that chore wouldn't have applied, but Mikey made such a huge mess in cooking that he was the one responsible for the clean up as well.

There was still sauce splattered all over the stove. The pans that the meatballs had been cooked in were crusted over on the counter. Dried, and yet mushy, spaghetti noodles sat in a pan on the stove that was only half full of water. The difference in the water level leaving half the noodles to dry while the bottom half absorbed as much water as they could and become a glob of yellow. Plates were stacked in the sink and Sara felt bad for whoever was going to clean them. If the kitchen was still like this, then yes, there was something severely wrong with Mikey.

Or Becca, Sara thought for a moment. Mikey had said something about them eating alone and she'd thought that he'd use the garage for some alone time like Donnie had. Maybe he'd taken her above ground and something had happened. The thought of going topside made her flutter a hand over her stomach. She couldn't go out anymore. Not to fight at least. She had to protect the life inside of her. She'd already been banned by Leo and Donnie, but now the idea of getting in a fight was scarier that she'd ever thought it could be.

Then something moved and she sighed. Mikey, dull-eyed and moving her way. She took a breath and calmed herself. Maybe things had gone well and that was why everything was still a mess. She grinned at him, but he ignored her. Nope, something was still wrong. "How'd it go last night?" The sudden look of anger on Mikey's face made her falter.

Then the banging started. He banged the pasta pot into the trash, dumping the contents. Then the sauce pan and everything it still held, clearing out the old food. Everything banged as he moved through the kitchen, Sara sidestepping when she got in his way. This was not her happy, carefree brother that she loved so much.

"Did-did something happen?" She asked, nearly squeaked as Mikey jerked the faucet into the on position with such force she thought he might rip out the whole sink. He didn't say anything. The silence boomed around the echo of things smashing into each other. This was something Raph would do, not Mikey. "Mikey?" She said his name like a question, asking more that way than any other way that she knew. Still, he said nothing. She'd never seen him like this and she was lost on how to approach him. Slowly, she backed out of the kitchen and away from the angry turtle.

Something was wrong here, and she needed to find out what.

*)O(*

The eggs were burned, the pancakes were charred, the bacon looked like it'd been cooked in hell, and even the mass of paste that was supposed to be oatmeal had something that looked decisively like charcoal in it. Leo looked between the food and the others gathered around the table to Mikey who was, oddly enough, already cleaning up the kitchen. Leo looked back down at his food. It looked like _he'd_ tried to cook today, not Mikey. Gulping and nearly scarred, Leo poked at the pancake. It couldn't actually taste like something he'd cooked. Maybe this was some kind of prank.

Everyone else was watching him. The weight of his clan's stares forced him to take the first tentative bite. Yep, it was burned. The taste of ash and soot filled his mouth, over powering the syrup he'd drowned it with. Exactly like if he'd tried to cook and had somehow managed to not burn down the lair. Nearly choking, he swallowed then greedily reached for his orange juice. He'd never not eaten something that Mikey had cooked. With determination, Leo forced himself to take another bite. Everyone else nodded then started to eat.

It was only then that he realized that Becca wasn't at her seat. The grimaces on everyone else's faces matched his own, he was sure. Sara plead that the baby was making her sick again, and had opted to just eat a piece of toast. Raph had gotten out because he would usually only eat cereal or a protein shake. Leo, Donnie, Mik, and Splinter formed a temporary pact and ate at least half of what they had in front of them.

If Mikey's feelings were spared, Leo couldn't be sure. The utter silence that his brother resonated was irrationally deafening. He was looking forward to practice. Maybe then, in the heat of the moment, could he glimpse at what was wrong. After Sara had warned them all that Mikey wasn't speaking and that something was wrong, Leo didn't even try to get a word in with his brother. The behavior was new and Leo didn't know where to start.

Becca not showing up to breakfast had made him wary. Usually the blond was glued to his brother and her absence was felt as strongly as Mikey's silence. Something must have happened between the two and Leo wasn't versed in matters of the heart. Mikey always spoke when they practiced though, surely that would be Leo's opening.

*)O(*

Like shell this was going to happen again. Raph pounced, aiming to smack Mikey with the butt of his sai in the back of the head as Mikey fumbled after Raph had knocked into him. Mikey had already taken down Leo and Donnie. Raph wasn't going to let his little brother beat them all again. Much to Splinter's displeasure, Raph had charged in, not waiting to start his round with his brother like he should have.

Raph didn't even blink, but before he knew what happened, something hard connected with his hand, knocking his sai away. Then the edge of a nunchuck caught him under his jaw. He bit his tongue and growled through the pain. He still had his other sai, but now Mikey was facing him.

His little brother hadn't shown any mercy on the others, knocking them down and away like they were little more than flies. Raph refused to go down like that. It was clear something had happened with Becca. She hadn't been there for breakfast, and she'd refused to come to practice. That didn't mean that everyone else had to suffer for whatever Mikey had done to mess things up. To be honest, Raph had a little bit of hope that maybe, if Becca was done with Mikey, that she might look his way.

It was less than honorable, but he couldn't suppress the shred of hope that _he_ might not be the one to live the rest of his life alone. That would only happen in his dreams. Still, Raph would have to live past this fight. Pain, anger, and jealousy were a heady cocktail that fueled him. How could Mikey be so stupid as to mess up his one chance? "You're an idiot, you know that?" If Mikey wasn't going to talk, Raph would. "It don't even matter what you did, you're an idiot."

The pain and hurt in Mikey's eyes almost made Raph stop, almost. "You couldn't even do one thing right, could you?" Hurt turned to rage in his baby brother's blue eyes. "How hard could it have been? I mean, look at you," Raph gestured to Mikey as he danced away from a nunchuck that was aimed at his head. "If she could get past how ugly you are, how else could you fuck it up?" There was a collective hiss behind him. He knew he'd get yelled at later by Splinter for cussing in front of him, but Raph had to get it out. He didn't get the chance to block the solid punch to his temple.

The room dipped and then swung around until Raph was on his shell, looking up at the beams one moment, then Mikey's face the next. Then a fist as it hurdled towards him. His shifted his head just fast enough to avoid the first punch, but not the second, or the third. He should of never gave Mikey lessons on how to lift properly, or started him on his protein shakes. Each connection was like a sledgehammer. Jesus, was this what it felt like when he did this to the others? His hands were pinned under Mikey's legs; he couldn't defend himself. He wasn't sure how many times Mikey connected before something threw him across the room.

It felt like someone had set firecrackers off on his face. Sharp bolts of pain that flared into others. He couldn't open his left eye. He breathed through his mouth because blood was pouring from his nose. His lips felt like they had been put through a meat grinder. Everywhere there was a buzzing or ringing and the ceiling kept trying to fall on him. He was sure Mikey hadn't been on top of him long, but like everything else, Mikey could land a hit faster than any of them. His cheeks, which were like fresh hamburger, yelled at him when he tried to spit some of the blood in his mouth out.

Sara and Donnie were there, yelling. Why did everyone have to be so loud? Raph realized why everything was fuzzy. The sounds were too loud and the dim light of the dojo was blinding. Mikey had given him a mild concussion. In his dazed state Raph actually felt a sense of pride. Who would have thought that Mikey had it in him.

*)O(*

Three hours. Three long hours. Not one word from his son. No apology. No look of remorse. No fidgeting. Three hours they sat in silence that wore down on everything that Splinter thought he could hold together.

Where could he start? What experience did he have in these matters? He'd never loved anyone the way he was sure that Michelangelo had started to love Becca. He didn't know what had caused this whole situation. His son refused to respond when he'd asked what had caused him to attack his brother.

"Go to the bathroom, drink some water then come back," he ordered. Michelangelo hated to meditate, but it was going to be necessary for him to conquer whatever he was going through. Deep reflection and meditation would help to ease the tides that eroded his son's natural good disposition.

There was no 'Hai, Sensei.' or even an 'okay' as Michelangelo got up and did as he was told. Splinter got up, his knees popping and creaking. One painful pop made him grimace. He was too old to be doing these things, he grumbled internally. His nose twitched and he scented a female outside of the door to his room. Some of his frustration fell away and he let himself smile.

"Come in," he announced. He could have sworn he heard her heart pick up. Mik pulled the door open and walked in. Her dress matched his chestnut kimono. The red strips that spiked her cheeks and down the middle of her forehead always drew his gaze to her eyes. Crimson shot back at him, meeting his eyes before looking down and away. "How did it go?"

"Not very well." Splinter said, discouraged for a moment.

"Becca won't come out of the room, either. She won't say anything about what happened." Mik informed him. Splinter sighed. He wasn't sure he was supposed to even be meddling in these things. He'd forced himself to remain silent at breakfast, but he drew the line at assault. "Whatever happened between them, happened. We can't force them to be together." He tried to speak with wisdom. Matters of the heart were a tricky thing to begin with.

"I… agree… but, I'm still worried." Mik seemed to crumple. Splinter walked to her. Her eyes flickered up to his. "I am too, but it's not our place to guide them in this." He reached out and laid a hand on Mik's arm. It was true. He had no idea of what to do when it came to loving someone more than as a father loved a child, or as a friend loved another friend. There were things he was feeling that he didn't understand himself. Mik smiled at him, patted his hand then moved away. "I'll leave you to it, then. Good luck, Splinter."

"I believe I will need it." He nodded.

*)O(*

There are certain things that being a giant mutant turtle doesn't prepare you for. Having an angry, pregnant fiancé was one of them. Having to deal with the after math of a younger brother's heart break was another. Donnie was clutching any rope he could find to stop himself from drowning. "You should have kept your mouth shut," Donnie hissed as Raph growled at the needle guiding thread through his skin. Five stitches to his eyebrow ridge and a handful of butterflies on various cuts on his face, and Raph still had a concussion to worry about.

"Here, soak your feet, it'll help with the head ache." Sara grunted as she set down a basin of hot water next to the bed in the lab. The large tub easily weighed over twenty-five pounds. Donnie shot her a look then immediately looked away. 'Not the right time' vibes were ebbing off Sara with a vengeance. The ban from going on patrol and training, anything more than yoga, had went over better than he'd ever hoped they might have. The next ban of lifting heavy things would be more of a task, he was sure.

"How in the-"

"Raphael, do as you are told, now, or so help me-"

"Okay, okay," his brother grumbled and submerged his feet. Donnie even wondered over it for a moment, but dared not to question her. He tried to tell himself that he wasn't walking on egg shell, but failed. Too many stories of angry pregnant females from TV over the years and he was afraid to breath around her. "It'll pull the blood down and increase the circulation there, giving your brain a chance to heal up without it hurting too bad. Plus, it feels good." On the last statement, she patted Raph's shoulder, like she was telling him he was doing a good job.

Then she turned to Donnie and he froze. She didn't look angry though, so he relaxed after a moment. "She won't say what happened and Mikey has been in there with Splinter for a while." Worry flowed through her voice and Donnie hesitantly wrapped her in his arms. "They are the only one's who can fix this." He murmured into the top of her head as he kissed it. "You don't need to stress yourself about it," he soothed. "Like Raph said, Mikey's an idiot, but he's good with people. If there's a way for him to fix it, he'll find it."

Sara nodded into his plastron and hugged him back. It had been rocky the past few days with her. After the shock wore off, she'd gotten angry and stayed that way. He knew that she knew, that he didn't know it was even a remote possibility, but that she also blamed him at the same time. Now he was in the process of setting up a makeshift ultrasound device so they could get a number for how many kids to expect.

Over anything else that was going on, he was still reeling from that idea alone. Not just Sara being pregnant, but her carrying more than one of his children. The idea that something he'd never dreamed of could be magnified in such an unbelievable way was baffling. Not only had he somehow found someone to spend his life with, but they were going to be blessed with a child, if not children.

There was fear there. The kind of fear you only get used to when you live the life he'd lived. The fear of her dying without warning. Pregnancy was like a battle. There was a chance you'd walk away, happy and healthy with only a scar to remind you of the pain it had caused you, or you could lose your life. Then there was the fear of her being captured. The things that his enemies would do to her if they knew she was pregnant was enough to make him sick with anger.

So he walked on eggshells because if he was feeling like this, he couldn't imagine what she was feeling. It was her life on the line. It was her body that was nursing another. It was her who was in the most danger. He could only hold her hand and remind her that he loved her. He could never express his joy enough at the risk she was taking for him.

"Do you think it has anything to do with what you told me?" Sara whispered soft enough for only him to hear. Donnie blinked. Then things clicked on in his preoccupied mind. He'd told Sara of what Mikey had done to Liam. He couldn't keep a secret like that from her, but he'd sworn her to secrecy. It was the fact that Sara had experienced what she had that she'd agreed and had basically wanted to thank Mikey for his contribution to society. Castrating another man like that still made Donnie's blood go cold. He pulled her away from Raph and over to the desk. "No, I don't think so. He wouldn't have told her, not unless he had to." Sara nodded. Donnie nodded back. If that wasn't the problem, then they would have to somehow dig to find it. No matter how much they thought it wasn't their place to interfere, it was still their family and they didn't want things to end like this.

*)O(*

The girl was asleep again. The blankets were pulled up around her and seemed to be the only protection from the real world that Becca could find. It was hard to watch. Mikey's outburst and attitude coupled with Becca's withdrawn form made Mik a little depressed herself. The beacon of joy that was Mikey was tainted. The flare of happiness that was Becca had seemed to sputter out of life. Things were far from right.

Mik sighed and left the room, going to the living room, hoping to find one of the magazines that had the baby pictures in them. Too much was going on around here and she needed a break. She kind of wished that she could go above ground like the others. It was daytime though, and even if any of them agreed, it wouldn't have been possible. Mikey was doing meditation with Splinter, Donnie and Sara were with Raph who was being nursed back to health. Leo had been ordered into submission, leaving Splinter to discipline Mikey while Leo sulked somewhere.

Mik rolled her eyes. Leo was probably in his room, mediating as well. If Splinter liked meditation, Leo loved it. Each of them had their own things that they did to relax, but Mik wondered if Leo knew the word existed sometimes. The whole ordeal was taxing and she was ready to put it behind her. She found that she was getting tired more easily throughout the day.

The idea of being old was a foreign one. To a normal rat, time, age, and all other things that most people worried about, didn't have a place in their lives. It was all about eating, living, and reproducing. She sighed and flipped through the pages of a magazine as she settled onto the couch. Life had been simpler before she'd been mutated, but she wouldn't go back for the world.

There were too many new, and amazing things. Her brain worked so much faster and harder, absorbing everything with speed. Her heart felt new things as well. The memory of Splinter's hand on her arm made her blush under her fur. Not for the first time was she thankful for it's protection. The fear, the racing heart, the shallow breaths that started when she was around Splinter weren't anything like she'd first thought them to be. It was only after watching many movies and TV shows that she'd started to form a word for her feelings. Attraction.

She was attracted to the male rat. It made sense. Her body was still trying to tell her to reproduce, even though she knew that that wasn't possible anymore. It was similar to what Mikey and Becca were feeling. Being drawn to another person like that was scary by it's self. She could hardly think around Splinter. Becca and Mikey were younger, and both as inexperienced as the other, really. If it was this difficult for her, she pitied them.

Maybe Splinter was right, maybe things would work themselves out if everyone just left them alone. Mik sighed and squeezed her eyes shut. When was anything ever that simple with this family?

*)O(*

A/N: So, yeah, a hurt and pissed of Mikey is not a good thing. I know this might have seemed a bit redundant, but I wanted to highlight the severity of Mikey's pain. His and Becca's inner turmoil will begin again next chapter. I hoped you all like it!

Now for the shout out to everyone who had reviewed so far!

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Galactic Cannibalism

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AND Guest #2!

Thank you, to all of you!

So many of you have followed this over from System Malfunction and I'm so happy to see you all again!

Some of you are new, and that's great! I hope that you've gone back and read System Malfunction, or that, if you're a rebel, that you're loving this story by it's self! So many !'s!

Just so you don't think I'm leaving any of you guys out, shout out to everyone who has followed and or favorited this story as well! Some of you haven't reviewed, and I don't know why, but thanks none the less! I'm happy to have a lurking population who secretly indulge in my story, even if you're too shy to leave a review.

Much love to everyone! You guys are the greatest!


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Now for the inside story from Mikey and Becca... And someone we don't like.

*)O(*

She should have felt proud of herself. She was living with a family of ninja yet she'd been able to sneak into Mikey's room, grab the kitten, run into the kitchen and grab some cold meat and a bowl of water before anyone had seen her slip back into her room. She used the light from the phone Mikey had given her to illuminate the space under the blanket that she used to block out the rest of the world. For a while it was just her and the kitten. Then after an accident, she realized she'd have to go out again. They hadn't gotten a litter box yet so soon she had to make another heist. She was snatching the news paper off the coffee table, making sure it was the one from yesterday, when she heard Raph yelling in the dojo.

She couldn't make out what he was saying, but she got curious. She was almost to the door when everyone else started to yell. "Michelangelo, stop!" Splinter yelled. Everyone else seemed to follow. Becca jerked away from the dojo. She snatched one of the empty planters that sat near one of Sara's plant towers and then ran back to her room. If it had anything to do with Mikey, she didn't want to know.

Living with someone that she didn't want to see was going to be hard. She had thought back over last night a thousand times or more. She'd tried to tell him, to let him know. She wanted to be here, with him. He'd ignored her. Mikey never just ignored anyone. He'd tease and play, he would have at least laughed it off. He would have done something, not just let everything stew in silence. Even if he'd been thinking, or worried about saying the wrong thing, he wouldn't have stayed so quiet for so long. Rejection burned through her as she tore up the newspaper and lined the planter with it.

Klatter was asleep, so she crawled back under the blanket and held her in her hand, praying for the same. The little orange ball was her only companion that day. She'd told Sara flat out that she wasn't going to practice. Mik came in and asked if she was hungry once or twice. Becca told her that she was fine so the rat would leave. The hollowness in her voice sounded odd even to her. Not once did Mikey come to check on her. No one else did, either. She was left almost as alone as she felt.

As the day wore on she found herself crying sporadically. When Klatter tumbled over her own legs on Becca's blanket, making her laugh, she cried. When she thought of Mikey's strong arms wrapped around her, she cried. The idea of the pathetic kiss she'd given him last night being their last made her cry. They weren't long lived moments. She'd cry, relieve some of her pain, then stop herself and repeat to herself that she had to be strong. Then sleep came. It was getting late and she had finally used up all of her energy. As she drifted she prayed that she wouldn't dream.

*)O(*

Hours sitting there, in front of Splinter didn't bother him. The knowledge that he'd beaten Raph's face in didn't bother him. He knew that Splinter meant for him to meditate, but it wasn't going to happen. There was no way for him to stem the torrent of emotions he had enough to clear his mind. He'd sit there, miserable, until his dad decided that he'd had enough and let him go on his way. There was going to be punishment, he knew, but he didn't care.

Inside of him too many things turned around and folded on themselves, trying to get his attention. He knew he'd hurt her. He knew all off this was his fault. He knew, just like he had when she'd said she'd gotten a job, that he'd lost everything already. No one else was making this any easier on him. Then Raph's outburst. He didn't feel bad for what he did. It had helped with some of the rage he felt towards himself.

He didn't care what happened now, as long as Becca lived a happy life once she left, he'd go on with all this. Living down here, never being with anyone. Donnie just got lucky, that was all. Hell, with the baby on the way, Sara might just run off somewhere too. Mikey couldn't blame her, the sewers was no where to grow up, he knew that. He didn't stop the darkness that spread through his mind. It was his only protection from himself.

His heart and mind raced against each other to see who could injure themselves even more. Pain folded around him. It was like his shell. He'd hurt the one person he'd ever had a chance with, but he'd had no choice. She was going to live above ground. She was going to be happy one day, just not with him. He couldn't expect her to sacrifice everything just to be with him, not when just being with him was so much to give already. So when she'd hinted at a future with him, he ignored her. Becca was just like him, so she knew right away that something was wrong when he didn't respond. She'd assumed, and assumed correctly. He was letting her go. Any ideas he had planned, he scrapped them. Any hope that he had, he let go of. He let the darkness cover the light that he tried to show to everyone else. As he sat there, once again with his father, he turned himself into something different. He didn't have to be the ray of sunshine sneaking through the storm drain. He couldn't be, not anymore.

*)O(*

Three days passed and she stayed inside of her room as much as she could. She'd ventured out once after that first day, asking Leo if she could go get things for the kitten. He'd seemed reluctant, but had agreed to follow her. She'd glimpsed Mikey once in that time. He'd been limping out of the dojo. She looked away from him. She didn't want to know, and she told herself that she didn't care. A day had passed and she looked down at the floor.

It was her first day of work. She needed to get ready. If it wasn't her only way to not be around him, she wouldn't have even thought about going. She'd been sick yesterday and today she felt lightheaded and dizzy. This was her one chance. It was her ticket away from the haunting memories of him.

She slipped through the lair. It was practice time. No one else would be in the living room or bathroom. It was safe as long as she hurried. Taking off her clothes, she realized that she stank. It had been three days since she'd showered. Her stomach cramped. She frowned, it wasn't time for her period. Then she realized that she'd gone three days without eating.

She almost laughed at how pathetic she was as she got into the shower. How many times had she made fun of the women in movies because of these things? How could she let something that people went through everyday hurt her so badly? Part of her wanted to remind her that it was only her second heartbreak, that this was something she wasn't used to feeling. It was something she shouldn't of had to feel. Other parts of her, the more stubborn and deeper parts of herself, said that she couldn't do this anymore. She'd had her time. She needed to stop and act like she was a woman, not a high school girl who was crying over some boy in the locker room.

She spent the day taking care of herself. She ate, drank water instead of soda, and got ready for her first day of work with care. She took her time doing her hair into an intricate braid. Her make-up was flawless and she smiled to herself. There wasn't any uniform except for a pair of jeans on the first day, she'd get her green shirt when she got to the store. It was a deciding moment when she reached into her dresser to grab a t-shirt. Even before Mikey she'd love bright colors. Pinks, yellows, oranges and anything that looked bright and shiny. Her hand hovered over an orange shirt. She could wear it and think of him until she got to the store, or she could throw away every piece of orange clothing she had. There were no other options.

She wasn't going to let him ruin a color for her. With haste and anger she tugged it on after ditching her tank top. She looked at herself. She looked fine, there was nothing wrong with her. She was going to be okay. She reached back and touched her braid, making sure she hadn't messed it up putting on the t-shirt. Everything was going to be okay. She kept telling herself that as she threw on her jacket and shoes, finally ready to leave.

She didn't know what to expect when she got to the garage. Most of her thought that she would be going alone. Maybe Leo, or Donnie, since Raph hadn't been out and about earlier. Mik had said that Mikey had messed him up pretty bad. She felt bad for Raph, but shrugged it off. The brute had finally gotten payback for all the times he'd hurt his other brothers. She was lost in her head when she noticed the orange bandana tail over the side of a trench coat. Any hope that it had been anyone else faded and she stood face to face with Mikey.

*)O(*

He hadn't really seen her pissed before. Angry, indignant, even irritated. Never had he seen anger so clearly written over her face like he did now. He didn't want to be the one here, doing this. Donnie had told him no, Leo had brushed past him. Raph wasn't speaking to him. Sara wasn't going above ground right now, and he was the only one left. He balled up his hands. He didn't want to have to see her. The sooner she left, the better.

Still, as he met her vicious gaze, he couldn't help but see her. She looked amazing. Flawless and bright, like she could outshine a star. Then he noticed something else. She didn't look quite the same. He couldn't place it at first then she turned her head away from him and moved to the door. Her jaw line was more defined. Her waist wasn't quiet as thick as it had been. Like getting hit by a semi, he realized she hadn't been eating. It was only the difference of a couple pounds but now that he saw it, he couldn't un-see it.

He cursed himself silently. He cursed her silently. How could she not take care of herself? How could he have let her not eat? Then he pulled back in on himself. It was better this way. She'd hurt for now, but she'd forget about him. He'd just be a memory to her one day. A ghost story she'd tell to her human children in years to come. He followed her out onto the street. He couldn't walk behind her or he'd look like he was stalking her. So he dipped in and out of alleys. He tailed her more than he walked with her. She didn't want to speak to him, that much was clear. That was fine. He'd yet to speak to anyone else, anyway.

She didn't even look back as she entered the pharmacy. He should have headed home. He'd done what he'd needed to do. But then she smiled to the woman who rushed from behind the counter to greet her. He hadn't seen her smile in days. He battled with himself. He shouldn't have the privilege to see her smile anymore, not after what he'd done. At the same time the sight of it pushed away the darkness and he was able to lift the corners of his mouth in return. He shook himself and started back home. He didn't belong in the dim light of the pharmacy, and he definitely didn't belong standing in the spotlight that was her attention.

*)O(*

Beatrice, or rather, Bea, was bubbling around Becca. Everything was either 'great' or 'awesome' or some other word to describe the other woman's general enthusiasm. No wonder Becca had connected with her so quickly and made such an impression on her. They were a lot alike. Bea, as she wanted Becca to call her, was a painful reminder of her issues at home.

"So the store closes at 2:30 until 5:30. During that time you'll have to sweep everything, mop the entrance and stock things up. Once you get the hang of it, you should have some extra time." Bea went on explaining. The information was shocking, there was so much and the other woman just kept piling it on. She fumbled her way through it all. Nodding and asking some questions, but figuring that she'd learn most of it once she was allowed to do things on her own. The register was a tricky thing. "Make sure that you always press the side button when you open it, otherwise Nick will get an alarm and come out to check it. I know you'll mess it up a few times, but try to make it a habit."

"So if I'm being robbed, I can open it without the button, right?"

"Oh, we don't get robbed a lot. This area is pretty safe for being in New York. There's rumors that there are vigilantes running around at night. If it wasn't for them, I don't think we would have stayed open. Plus everything worth taking is back in the actual pharmacy section. You should be just fine." The mention of vigilantes made Becca choke on air. Did people actually know about the guys?

"If not, you can always reach for Faithful." As if she'd done it a thousand times, Bea reached under the counter and pulled out a large and intimidating pistol. It was a revolver, Becca knew that much. "Just point it, squeeze real hard and it'll do it's job." Bea waved the hand not holding 'Faithful.' "Usually just pulling it out is enough though, don't go killing people willy-nilly, okay?" Bea showed Becca how to put the gun back, and how to pull it out, if she ever needed to. The idea of needing the gun made Becca's stomach turn. She didn't want to shoot it, ever. She almost decided that she didn't want to work there.

She shook herself. She could do this. It was a job, it was something, she wasn't going to be picky. At least this place had a failsafe in mind. She also got a cool tazer out of the deal. "I'd rather you use this, but don't hesitate to pull out Faithful, okay? Some guys are resistant to being shocked." Becca nodded. Working here was going to be a crazy ride. She did have to thank Bea for being so upfront and honest about everything. Most places wouldn't have been half as honest and Becca knew that information was power in these cases.

Then she was introduced to Nick. He was tall, like, seven and a half feet tall. He had long, curly black hair that swayed as he moved his impressive bulk out of the security office. His official title was 'Loss Prevention'. He was taller than any of the guys but was scrawny in comparison. He had minimal muscle mass and Becca figured that he'd only got the job because he looked scary. When he shook her hand, it felt wrong. His hand was as big as Mikey's or even Raph's but it didn't have the same texture and was warmer than her body said it should be. Here she was, comparing him to Mikey. She'd barely even gotten her name out. "Nice to have a cute girl here for once," Nick laughed.

"Hey!" Bea huffed. Becca's stomach knotted. She hadn't disliked him at all, not until that moment. It wasn't his fault, she told herself as she forced out a smile and a small 'thank you.' No one knows, no one has to know, just like normal. But the lame joke felt too much like one Mikey would have tried. Inside she ached. "Alright, time to get started!" Bea exclaimed. It was going to be a long night, Becca groaned internally.

*)O(*

Hun and a clutch of Foot ninja watched. The blonde girl had went into the pharmacy. To his disappointment, they weren't going to go in. They were going to watch. His phone buzzed in his pocket. "She's cute."

"Get your damn head out of your pants. Is she the right one?"

"I think so, damn pretty. Big blue eyes and she came in wearing orange like she owned the color."

"Good job. I'll make sure you get your payment."

"Ten whole cases, no less than that."

"Yeah, shut up, Nick, I know what I promised you." Hun grumbled. "Remember, I get half of the finished product."

"No problem." Nick's voice sneered. If the punk thought about double crossing Hun, it would lead to his death. "Two days and she should be left on her own. I'll make sure I don't show up for work that night." Nick supplied.

"Is she visible now?"

"Yeah, Beatrice is showing her around the place."

"Me and some friends are coming in, we won't cause any trouble, but turn the cameras off."

"Done, anything else?"

"Yeah," Hun chuckled. "Don't harass her." Nick's sick laugh on the other end of the phone made Hun's hair stand on end before he hung up.

The foot ninja around him shed their uniforms, dressing in the cold alley quickly. Some of his men had already been paid to find this girl. The turtles had interfered both times his guys had went after her. Broken bones meant time off the streets. Time off the streets meant money. This girl had cost him. At the same time she was going to be his payday. He'd let the Foot be of some use. No need to risk his men again.

He strolled across the road. He took two of the ninja with him. The others would follow in five minutes. No more than seven people. Too big of a crowd would draw attention at this time of night. He entered and was blessed by the sight of her. Average to short in height, thicker build, blond hair that was woven with care into a braid down her back, blue eyes that danced over his group as he walked around her. Nick was right, she was damn pretty. Maybe he'd take his own justice out on her, keep her for himself. Karai just wanted the redhead, this one could be his. As he walked the isles, picking up random things and asking his 'buddies' what they thought about having it at the 'party', he scoped the place out. There was the pharmacy, double plated glass protected it. Then there were the double doors which Hun guessed lead to the break room or something. Other than that there was only the main entrance. He'd collected some things, making it look like he'd been on a snack run with his friends.

"What time you get off, sweetie? I'd love to see you stop by." Hun grinned at her. Her name tag had 'Becca' written on it. He'd have to remember that. "Sorry, but I don't get off until early in the morning." Her not so sincere smile and uneasiness made Hun grin. He was a large man, he knew that. It was something he took pride in, especially when woman like Becca were intimidated by him. "If it's early enough, the party might still be going."

"Thanks, but I'm still adjusting to working nights. You're really sweet to offer though." The last of his items were scanned and she rang him up.

"You hear that? I'm sweet!" He laughed to his 'buddies'. They had the decency to laugh or roll their eyes. "I think I'll come back," he said to the woman behind Becca. "You're employees are nice." The woman who's tag read manager leveled him with a gaze before smiling and waving to him. He walked out then tossed his bag to one of the ninja as they lost sight of the pharmacy. "Two days. We take her, the others will come." The ninja nodded before melting away from him. Hun smiled to himself. It would be fun once he got his hands on her.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Darkness awaits for those that read this chapter… so to even things out I added some much needed fluff. I rated this as (M) for a reason. If you aren't a fan of violence and other such topics, then why are you reading my story?

I'm loving the reviews! Trust me, I'm just as frustrated with two certain some ones as the rest of you are. I'm trying to get them to kiss and make up but they are surprisingly stubborn… I have said how much I love all you guys, right?

*)O(*

This was living hell. He couldn't think of anything worse. The way everyone crowded into the lab pushed him against her. His chest hurt but he was getting used to it. He hadn't been forced to be this close to her; even over everyone else, he could smell her. Sweet, soft, and warm next to him. He wanted so badly to reach out and touch her. To hold her again, to feel her lips against his. Even if all he got for it was a swift punch in the jaw. His whole body ached with want of just one thing… Her.

*)O(*

"You ready?" Donnie asked. His eyes were trained on her. She took a couple breaths before nodding. This was her first ultra sound. Cold gel was piled on her lower stomach. She could already see a change in her body. Her taunt stomach was stretching outwards just a little. It was enough that she didn't think anyone else had noticed. The wand that Donnie held above her stomach scared her. It was going to tell her how her future was going to play out.

The nervousness inside of her was eating away at the little bit of sanity she thought she still had. Smearing the gel and watching the monitor as his hand moved the wand over her stomach, Donnie focused not on her, but on the black and white reading. Everyone had gathered into the lab, cramming in to get the first look at the baby, or babies. The sound that came off the machine made her eyes water. She could hear them. Heartbeats, strong and fast, pumping away into her babies the nutrients they needed. Then came the image on the screen.

She'd never studied ultrasounds much but even she could see them. Or rather, she couldn't see them. There were three blobs on the screen that jiggled inside of her; two of them seemed to be connected to each other, wiggling simultaneously. She was taken aback for a moment. That wasn't what babies were supposed to look like. Then she remembered that she was carrying babies that would be just less than half turtle. She was going to give birth to eggs.

"Oh my god," Becca squealed, obviously instantly more excited than anyone else in the room. "That's so cool! Triplets!" She gushed, hurriedly reaching for Sara's hand. The word set off a chain reaction in not only Sara and Donnie, who was beaming at her, but in everyone else. Cheers broke out and if she wasn't in mild shock, Sara would have realized that Mikey spoke for the first time in almost a week, murmuring a hushed congradulations. Raph was patting Donnie on the back so hard that it was hard for her to maintain eye contact with Donnie. Donnie just grinned, somehow a little bit bigger, and pushed Raph away before leaning down and kissing her.

"Thank you," he whispered against her lips. She looked up at him then back to the monitor where the sight of her babies still played out on the screen. Tears welled up and spilled over her cheeks. She wiped them but couldn't stop them even if she wanted to. Any anger she'd felt over the unexpected pregnancy dissipated as a new love for her unborn children took root. She leaned up and kissed Donnie again. The chaos around them as their large family cheered was drowned out. Donnie pulled away, going back to examining the monitor.

"They're going to need their own room," Splinter announced. It had been a while since the guys had done any remodeling and Raph cracked his knuckles.

"A big one," the tender hearted brute added.

"We will need to make it safe for them to crawl around," Leo nodded in agreement.

"What things are they supposed to eat," Mik asked looking nervous.

"Three, that means three times the clothes," April said to Becca who nodded. The room was buzzing as everyone added in their own ideas and thoughts.

Sara turned away from all of them to look back at Donnie who was squinting and prodding her stomach in different directions. Then she saw what he was looking at. The two eggs that were jiggling in time with each other were conjoined. The movement was a good sign, and the area that she could see once Donnie adjusted the wand again calmed her nerves a little after the initial fright she'd felt. The area was tiny in comparison to the eggs themselves. Old knowledge of biology sprouted back up and she drew the conclusion that they were probably identical twins who were still separating completely. She relaxed herself into the hospital bed and took a few deep breaths. At the change in her heart rate, Donnie's eyes shot to her.

The deep red brown glowed with inner light as his eyes studied her. "Why are they wiggling like that?" She asked. She didn't know much about box turtle eggs, or how they formed. She hoped she wouldn't have to give birth to eggs that had hardened, but then again was worried about what it meant if the eggs weren't hard like they were supposed to be. "They'll stay semi soft for a while. They'll harden up a little probably around the time you give birth, but they will still be flexible and permeable. At least, I think so, that's how female box turtle's eggs are from what I've researched." Sara nodded. She couldn't expect him to know everything, not at times like this. She understood that a lot of what was going to happen was going to be new for all of them. The crease in his forehead bothered her.

"What is it?" She asked. Everyone seemed to zone in on her discomfort. Near silence fell over the room. "The eggs…" Donnie paused, probably trying to figure out how to say what he was interpreting. The pause, while she understood the need for it, made her want to punch him. She took a breath, preparing for the worst. "Are huge… but not in a bad way." Donnie sighed and rubbed his forehead with the hand that wasn't holding the wand. "I'm trying to say that, if they were human, they would be about two and a half, maybe three months along." Sara breathed. This was getting to be too much. Couldn't this be a little easier, she cursed silently.

"I-I think that your term will be shorter, closer to six months." Okay, so she was getting the crash course in motherhood. Chatter filled the room again. "So, will we be able to feel them move?" Becca asked. Sara's eyes snapped to Donnie. She hadn't thought of that. "I-I don't know." He adjusted the wand. "Right now they are attached by a little cord, can you guys see that?" Each egg was anchored to her uterus by a white little string on the monitor. "So Sara might be able to feel them move, but we might not." The frown in his voice made her heart skip a beat at the pain he must be feeling. It wasn't fair for him not to be able to feel his own children move.

Just then something happened that none of them were ready for. It was so alien to see it, even when she felt nearly nothing. The two conjoined eggs split apart, one knocking into the other as they rebelled against their attachment. The scene played out on the screen and if she hadn't seen it, she wouldn't have believed it had just happened. One egg took up the monitor and bumped into the wand, making it shift. The new view showed three separate eggs hanging by virtual strings. It was unnerving but settling at the same time. Her hand flew to her stomach and she recoiled at the slimy feel of the gel. Surprise echoed and she smiled. "Those two's middle names are going to have to be Leo and Raph," she teased as love spread through her veins again. Everyone but Leo and Raph laughed while the two mentioned seemed to blush.

Marcus fought his way to the front of the group and hugged her. Sara beamed until a growl startled him off her. Donnie was staring the man down. His pupils were large and intimidating for a moment before he blinked himself back into sanity. Failing to cover up what had just happened, Donnie coughed and went back to the screen, gathering as much information as he could. "He can growl all he wants, I'm still going to hug you," Marcus whispered to her. She laughed and joined in the humor at her fiancé's expense.

*)O(*

The lair was a flurry of excitement for the rest of the day. She was tired and would have called off if she'd been working at the pharmacy longer than a couple days. Yet, she was new, so she had to go in, or risk losing her job. She sighed as she pulled on her green uniform shirt. It was going to be a long night. Even longer, she grumbled when she caught sight of the orange bandana sticking out of the trench coat as she walked past Mikey in the garage, leaving the lair. He didn't say anything. He hadn't for a while. It didn't bother her, she told herself. He didn't want to talk to her, she didn't want to talk to him. It would be better if they could just be strangers to each other.

If that were possible then she would be able to heal. Eventually, she might even be able to call him her friend again. Then the newest part of her self pity reared it's head up. It yelled at her. _That's all you ever were to him, maybe even less than that. He never asked you out, he never asked you to be his girlfriend. You just leapt for him. You didn't look both ways before crossing the street, don't get mad at the truck that hit you_. She huffed her way to work. She couldn't see him, but she could feel him there. That only served to irritate her more. Still, she couldn't stop herself from casting one wishful look to him as he hid on the rooftop across the street.

Bea was bouncing around as Becca went to clock in. Unlike the past times she'd come in, it didn't seem like it was out of her normal energetic personality. "Nick called in sick, and I can't get the cameras to work, the technician can't come in until tomorrow, the button on the register is sticking so the security room won't stop dinging… Thank goodness you showed up. I don't know what I would have done if you'd called out too." Bea gushed for a moment before running around, trying to get things done that were left by day shift.

As a manager Bea seemed to be too lenient on the people under her when it came to responsibilities. The past two days there had been things left over that should have been done easily, especially considering that day shift had more people than night shift did. Bea brushed if off, saying that they had been busy, but Becca didn't agree. Working for her father had never awarded her any special privileges when it came to her duties, no matter how cramped her schedule had been.

Becca shook herself. Most people weren't like her father, most were kinder. Like Bea who took on other people's responsibilities with only a shrug and a smile. Then there was Mikey. He could smile through nearly anything and lift his family up all while keeping people safe from the evil around them. Her trained smile faltered as she thought of him. She shook herself. She was at work. She didn't have time for thoughts of home, of the pain inside that was eating her bit by bit.

A few hours passed and Bea was fiddling around with the cameras when the group from the other day came in. The giant of a man made her wary. His 'pals' were less than half his size, yet they still freaked her out. Their eyes darted, never standing still on anything too long. They reminded her of Leo when they were training. At that thought Becca placed a hand on the taser at her hip. She was a few steps away from the register and 'Faithful.'

Unlike the other night, when they had simply given off 'bad' vibes, today they were menacing. Their presence was unnerving and she felt fear creep up her neck. As they walked past her, she relaxed her stance, dropping her hand from the taser and turning away from them. She looked to the register, hoping to fix the button for Bea.

Someone grabbed her ponytail and yanked hard on it, pulling her over the counter's edge slightly. She screamed in surprise and fear. The pain was shocking and she reached up, trying to relieve herself of the person holding her. A giant hand tightened and she yelped. A face peered down at her as she struggled. Large and brutish with beady black eyes that seemed to cast away the light that was reflected from them. The smile on his face made her stomach turn. "Call for Mikey to come save you." He laughed and she felt the blood drain from her face. "Oh, yeah, she's the right one, alright." He laughed even harder.

She bit her lip as he pulled her across the counter, the edge cutting into her bent body. He had to be a Purple Dragon. He resembled the brute force she'd seen in the others, only magnified. Who were the people with him? They didn't seem to fit the bill of being PD. "Karai's gonna love this." He sneered as her body hit the floor harshly only for him to command her to her feet by another rough tug on her hair. She let go of her hair, giving up on relieving herself of the pain and reached for the taser. The giant tsk'ed at her and crushed her hand around the grip of the weapon.

She might have thought that she'd never wanted to use 'Faithful' before, but now she wished she had it in her hands. The pain of him holding her up by her hair and the force of his hand around hers was crippling. She never knew someone could have such powerful hands. She groaned as his hand released hers. The taser fell to the floor and she knew she was looking at her only hope falling away. One kick and he busted it on the far wall, the shattering startling her before she knew what he'd done to it.

"I'm kinda glad you tried that, it means you'll be more fun to break." Becca looked up, and up, to him. His eyes tore through her and made her feel naked. She tried falling to her knees, a last ditch effort to get him to loose his grip. The pain she caused herself made her gasp in shock. Her scalp felt like it was going to tear away from her skull at any minute. "Oh yeah, you're going to be fun." He laughed. Becca felt sick. His breath was hot on her neck and she nearly gagged. "I could be nice, as long as you tell me where they're hiding. Karai really only wants the redhead, Sara, I think she said her name was. Make this easier on yourself."

Sara, sweet, loud, caring, a bit overbearing, and most importantly, pregnant. Becca only had a small idea of what he and his friends could have planned for her, but it didn't matter. No matter what she wouldn't let them have Mikey, or Sara, or any of her family. The heat of his breath grew closer to her neck and she resigned herself to the pain she was about to endure. She yanked her head, her neck popping in the effort and opened her mouth, biting down on cheek that was next to her face. She bit and bit as he tried to pull her head by her hair. He'd yank and she'd lock her jaws harder until she felt the tear and blood filled her mouth. They both howled in pain. Him as she took a chunk of his cheek. Her as she was thrown by her hair into the counter.

She nearly puked, she want to, oh so badly. She spit out the flesh at him as the men around him seemed to be waiting for something as he howled again. Her head rang, her scalp screamed, her mouth would never be clean again. Then she registered something else. A lump in her back pocket. Acting like she was rolling due to pain she managed to pull out the shell cell. She flipped it open and pressed the main orange button then squashed the rest of them as a hand yanked it away from her. "She called them."

"Good. They can watch as I make her mine. The other bitch should be with them." The growling of the giant froze her blood in her veins. Before she could do anything she was choked by her shirt as a tearing sound pierced the quiet that had descended. She tried to scramble away, to get some distance so she could run, but her air was cut off until the shirt gave completely away.

*)O(*

He hadn't made it far. Maybe a block or two… He'd stayed and watched her. The look she'd cast his way, pinpointing him in the dark faster than even his brothers could have, had rooted him in place. The large glass windows on the front of the pharmacy let him see her almost the whole time she was in the store. It was selfish, and probably a little bit more than stalker-ish of him, but he hadn't been able to pull himself away. Her smile made other people smile back. If the line was empty she'd even offer a little wave to people as they left. She zipped around the store like she'd worked there for months, not days.

It was torture, but he endured it. It was the only way to see her happy. He never got the chance to be part of the sparing moments in the lair when he'd hear her laugh. He'd walk too close and she'd choke on the beautiful sound, glare at him then force out smiles that made him hate himself even more. Nothing compared to the self loathing he felt when the distress signal from her phone alarmed on his phone. If he would have stayed just a bit longer, indulged just a moment more.

He sprinted across the roof tops, skidded to a halt on the same one that had been his perch just a while ago. His chest heaved. He made it just in time to see the lights go out. He cursed. If it was a normal day in New York he would have blamed a blackout, or even bad wiring. This was like a sign. Only the pharmacy was dark. He gritted his teeth. He couldn't see anything. His mind was fuzzy and dark when he saw someone, short and just a little thick running for the door. The street lights illuminated the figure for just a moment before blond hair was snatched and she was yanked back into the darkness.

A growl escaped him. Everything turned red. It had been Becca. The only thing covering her torso had been her bra, her shirt was gone. He didn't wait for his brothers, he couldn't. He started to disrobe as he jumped down to street level. He tore the binding material to shreds as he hurtled towards the doors. He kicked the over sized shoes off as he got to the front of the store. Here he could see just inside of the pharmacy. His pupils swelled then became pinpoints as he saw Hun and a group of men too small to be PD. Hun held Becca up on her tiptoes by her hair. She was facing him. Her face twisted as Hun did something behind her back. Her bra was torn from her body. Then the giant's hand went lower.

Mikey burst through the glass doors. His arms were sliced and cut open. "Mikey! Run! Run!" Becca yelled. His mind was too fuzzy to understand why she was telling him to go. All he heard was her calling for him. He howled. The two ninja, Foot ninja, who'd been ready to jump him were startled and gave away their positions. He couldn't process the severity of the situation. Somewhere he knew that the PD and the Foot had teamed up, but he couldn't care why. The only thing he knew was that Becca was in trouble and he had to save her. The ninja steadied themselves and leapt, trying to cripple him.

He didn't like bloodshed. If he had to, then yes, he'd do what he had to do. Normally he could just knock people out. There wasn't a drop of mercy in him. He grabbed one ninja by the throat, crushing his windpipe, dropping him and leaving him to suffocate. The other hit his shell, the attack bouncing off him. Mikey lifted his leg, kicking the failed attacker in the stomach and launching him into the wall. He didn't study the damage. There was no time.

The hoard that had materialized jumped him. He rampaged, knocking the tiny humans aside. If the chucks in his left hand connected with something, they did damage, broke bones. He lost sight of Becca. He spun, searching the dark for her. His ears worked just enough to pick out her protest. He couldn't see her, but he knew she was being pulled away from the fight. Then a bow came down on a ninja's skull. Mikey spun. Donnie was in the throng with him. Then Raph and Leo charged in. Taking a move from his older brother's playbook, he widened his stance, spread his arms, crouched and roared. The force of it made his throat feel like it was on fire, but it did it's job. Startled, many ninja dropped their guard. Becca screamed. Mikey pointed his body in the direction of her voice and charged. He barreled through the mass of bodies. He heard an answering roar, a familiar one. Raph was following him. When one of them got too close, Raph swooped in, knocking them away like they were flies until all the attention was on his older brother, leaving Mikey open.

Hysterical, Becca's voice reached him. His name, rushed, scared. The store was an obstacle coarse and he was a bulldozer. Nothing stood in his way. He pushed through a door that swung on it's hinges. Hun sneered at him. Becca was crying, yanking against the firm hold the menace kept on her. "Becca," he croaked.

"Sara, is Sara safe?" She screamed, her voice echoing in the small space. His brother's mate wasn't any of his business right now. She could hold her own. Becca, on the other hand, needed him. If he could have been sure that he wouldn't hurt her while like this, he would have already had Hun off her. "Let her go." He warned. Hun laughed, sick and twisted.

The man's hand came up from around her waist, squeezing her breast harshly. "I think she's starting to like me, why don't you try taking her away." Mikey thought he'd gone mad. Rage fueled by adrenaline was a murderous cocktail in his veins. He didn't remember crossing the small distance between them. Or if the feeling of snatching away Hun's hand and breaking his wrist was satisfying. He barely registered Becca enough to know that she'd leapt to the side, away from him and Hun. He had a clear shot.

His right hand was still holding the crunching mass that was Hun's left hand, so with his left, he struck out. It was clear Hun had anticipate a blow to his face. Nunchucks still firm in his grasp, Mikey slammed the blunt end into Hun's throat. Blood sprayed on his face as the whistling sound of air trying to pass through the mangled trachea filled the room. Quicker than anyone could have avoided, he slammed them into Hun's throat again. The force alone covered more of his face in plasma.

He'd never be able to describe the feeling of blood lust. He'd never be able to explain to anyone the amount of satisfaction he felt was he watched what little light there was, fade from Hun's beady eyes as blood gurgled out of his open, shocked mouth. It wasn't until there was some resistance that he even slightly noted that the second hit had embedded his nunchuck into the man's throat. Blood didn't gush or run out of his throat when Mikey pulled his weapon free, it seeped, simply trying to find an exit.

Triumphant, cover in his enemies blood, he turned to Becca. She was staring up at him, tears falling, hands covering her exposed flesh. He tried to rid himself of the red around his vision. He tried to clear his mind. Too much adrenaline, too much hurt, too long of not holding her. Somewhere he questioned if she would still want him after what she'd seen him do. Not even he had known he could be so vicious. Moments, breaths ago, he'd been the victor. Now he crumpled, falling to his knees in front of her, head bowed to her.

She'd been on the verge of something so terrible and sickening, and yet, she'd still cried out for the safety of another. She was the strong one. She was the one who put others before herself, no matter what. She was the light he'd tried to be for so long. He didn't want to live in the dark. "I'm sorry." He bowed, head touching the floor. "I'm so sorry." He'd failed to keep her safe, to never let anyone hurt her again. He'd made her witness him killing someone. Still, the red around his vision wouldn't fade. He couldn't turn it off. Everything was narrowing, coming to a finer point. Red faded to black and black swallowed every… except for Becca, yelling for him. Begging him, begging him to come back… to stay with her. Rule number one: the woman is always correct.

It was a weak, feeble attempt, even if he didn't say it out loud, but he smiled nonetheless. If she wanted him, he'd stay with her for the rest of eternity.

*)O(*

A/N: Oh, please, please, please don't kill me! Love you guys!


	18. Chapter 18

*)O(*

She screamed when Mikey went from bowed to crumpled, rolling over on his side. Modesty shoved away, she scrambled over to him. "No! No! Mikey! Come back, stay with me, please!" She yelled, shaking him. He was a disaster. Blood covered his body, dribbling from various injuries. There were so many she couldn't count them. Then the door to the security room opened and Bea poked her head out. Becca looked at her, wondering what she was going to do.

The other woman's eyes swelled, taking in the sight. "Help me, help him, please, please!" She screamed, not able to lower her volume. She held Mikey's head in her lap, scared. A faint smile seemed to try to play across his face and she started to sob again. Things couldn't just end like this. The bad guy was gone, Mikey was the hero, the hero didn't just die. "Stay with me, please, stay with me Mikey." She croaked, begging for him to be okay. Then something was shoved in front of her face. A shirt, green, still folded. Becca reached for it, looking up at the person extending it to her. Bea, who looked like she'd walked into an episode of the Twilight Zone. Remembering her nudity, Becca quickly pulled the shirt over herself.

"H-How, how can I help?" Bea jumped away from Mikey when he coughed. The sound was strained and Becca held a hand over her mouth as she sobbed for a moment. "His brothers, Donnie, I need you to get Donnie." Becca picked pieces of glass out of his skull with her fingernails. Irrationally, she was angry at the shards for being inside of him. "B-Brothers?"

"Yes, they are four-super-hero-mutant-turtle-brothers and right now I need you to get Donnie!" She snapped. Bea seemed to resolve that what Becca said was true. "M-Mikey, right, that's his name?"

"Yes. Donnie, Mikey needs him." She prayed with everything she had that Donnie could get here in time. The color was fading from the places of his skin that weren't covered in blood. His shoulder resembled hamburger, glass glittered in the faint light from the emergency lights from the disgusting wound. His arms were covered in various cuts and slices of different sizes. His plastron even had new scuffs and ridges from attacks he'd bore to save her. She noticed that her tears were falling onto his face. She venomously wiped her eyes then went back to picking glass out of his head.

He was so stupid, so brave, so fierce, so kind. Hysterical she started to laugh as his bowing and apologizing flashed in her mind's eye. Hun's slumped body finally rolled to the side, laying him down and startling her at the same time. She'd been scared, she would admit it, but when Mikey had turned on her, she'd only seen love and worry. She didn't see him as a murderer, or an evil person, and she never would.

Someone burst through the swinging door and she nearly dropped Mikey's head from her lap. She'd started to move to shield him, but then noticed that it was Donnie. Bea was on his heals and Raph and Leo were on hers. The poor girl looked like she was going to pass out. Donnie crouched and looked over Mikey critically. "Donnie, what can I do?" If there was anything, she'd do it. Even if it was giving her own blood, like Sara had. "Don't let him move, keep him still while I check him some more. After that, I'll need you to take this lady right here back to her place before you come home. Raph and Leo will explain things to her." Donnie instructed as he started looking at Mikey with a pen light.

"Becca?" Bea's shrill pitch made her pay attention to the other female again. Raph and Leo were herding her towards a wall. "It's fine, they won't hurt you." She reassured her.

"We just need you to understand, you can't tell anyone-"

"I won't!" The shout made Raph and Leo grimace, mainly Leo who had been interrupted. "I swear it!"

"Bea!" Becca scolded. "Listen to them."

"I thank you for the assurance, but truly, you must not tell anyone. If you need to talk to someone about any of this, Becca will be able to help you. Our family has been a secret so far, we wish to continue to be one." Leo asserted. Bea just kept nodding. "We will clean up the shop. You can file a report, if you want, but we will also pay for any damages and anything else you deem necessary." Still, Bea nodded. If she didn't stop, her head would fall off.

Mikey groaned. Hope sparked within her. When she shot her eyes back to him, she found it was only because Donnie was yanking a large piece of glass out of his leg. More precious red fluid fell from the opening. Her stomach turned. "Take her home." Donnie ordered. "Raph, Leo, pick him up, we need to get home, ASAP." She wanted to rebel. She wanted to declare that she wouldn't leave him. Yet, she knew she was the only one who would be able to do what was being asked of her. "Bea, let's go. I'll explain some more on the way, but it's gonna have to be quick." Bea leapt away from Leo and Raph.

It made her miserable, but she had no other options. She moved away from Mikey. She looked back again and again, even after Leo and Raph had disappeared with him as she escorted Bea. The only thing worse than this would be losing him and this being her last memory of him.

*)O(*

Bits of random song passed by him. One was the opening to his newest favorite anime. Another was an old song that he didn't really care for, but used it to annoy Raph with all the time. The big lout would hold onto the repetitive chorus for days sometimes, causing him to lose his cool when someone pointed out him singing it under his breath. Then it was like little movies played around and around. It was kind of fun. Except the part where he couldn't move. That was a little annoying. Nothing worked. He tried, but his body wouldn't do anything.

He shrugged in his newest dream world and let the thought drift away again. The current movie was nice. He was in the rainforest and sitting by a giant waterfall. He was sure he'd seen it in a movie before. He must have, for it to be here, and so stunning. Surely even he couldn't make up the details he saw. He frowned. Static invaded the birds chirping, muffled the crashing sound of water. He groaned. Not this again...

It filled everything until he floated on it, drowned in it. He couldn't escape it. He'd learned to just deal with it until it passed. This one was persistent though. It didn't let up. If he could just make it stop, he grumbled as he floated through the very thing that was driving him mad. Then something came out of the static. Pitch. It started small and low then grew to a keening level that made him want to dig it out of his brain. It was like an old steam whistle. Persistent, driving, and deliberate and it wouldn't ease.

Then light blinded him. For a moment he felt fear. He'd heard time and time again about the white light that many people saw as they started to die, when they were on an edge that they might not have a choice of crossing. Then a shadow blurred in front of him. He blinked. It took a couple tries but eventually the blinding light in the back ground was moved and a face came into view. Becca.

His heart fluttered faintly and he tried to smile. His _everything_ felt stiff and heavy. He wasn't even sure if he was getting a smirk out. Usually the first thing he thought of when he saw her was of how perfect she was, or how beautiful, or funny, or something else nice. Right now he was shocked to think anything different. She looked, sad, awful even. Her shimmering eyes were bloodshot. Her nose was beet red from being chapped. Splotches took up her cheeks. Tear stains marked clear lines down her face. He struggled to lift his hand to brush away anything that wasn't her smile.

"Mikey?" She questioned. Her smile cracked along with her voice. A desert had more water in it than his mouth did. He couldn't get his tongue to move so he tried to nod. His arm was getting closer. All of this was way too difficult. Becca must of noticed it. She reached for it. Her small hand held his up. "Oh, god, Mikey." She wept. His hand was bandaged up. Some blood poked through in different areas, mostly just around his knuckles though. He couldn't get his other arm to move at all. This was enough though. It hurt, but he kept smiling and nodding as Becca kissed his hand then forehead.

Then she pulled away. She jumped off the bed he was on. He realized he was in the lab. He chuckled internally. It wasn't the first time any of them had been here, wouldn't be the last. Heck, he should be used to this by now. His head was still a little foggy, but he was starting to realize that the static in his dreams was caused by some pretty heavy painkillers, courtesy of his geeky brother. He heard footsteps and shouts. His family was on the way. Like sardines packing themselves into a tin, they flooded the room.

The first face he saw next was Donnie. He flinched as a pen light was flickered into his eyes. He wished that that was the worst of it. As delicate as Donnie tried to be, Mikey couldn't suppress the groan of pain that engulfed his shoulder. At least he thought that his brother was trying to be gentle. Then someone was pressing something into his hand. He looked down at it. Mik held a glass of water there for him. "Can you hold onto that, Mikey?" Donnie asked. It was a weird question. Mikey gripped the glass. Mik let go. Donnie caught it as it fell.

"You broke both of your hands in different area's. Everything looks like it's healing right, but I'm worried you might have damaged some of the tendons. Don't even get me started on your other arm. Becca, would you help him?" Donnie handed over the cup. It was embarrassing, but he was parched. He drank the whole cup. Everyone took their turn coming to his side. Once Donnie was done Splinter was the first to sit beside him. As the line dwindled, he started to notice that he was getting uncomfortable. Pain was returning. He didn't know if he was lucky or not, more pain brought more control over his limbs. The last in the long line was Raph who for some reason looked proud.

"You did great, lil bro." It was probably one of the best compliments the lug head had ever given him. No wonder it was done when almost everyone had already left. Still, Mikey smiled and whispered a hush thank you. After a while he was left with just him and Becca. She'd been mostly silent the whole time. He looked at her.

Her hand came up with a swiftness that he'd only heard about angry women having. Sharp against his cheek, her fingers probably left welts. "Don't you ever do this again! Do you know how worried I was? Do you? You were... I- we almost lost you! What are you laughing about?" She was furious. He couldn't help himself. Yes, he laughed. It hurt, but he kept doing it. "You're yelling at me about getting hurt after slapping me," he explained.

"Do you not see where you are? You're in a hospital bed. You can't even hold a glass of water..." Her fury drained quickly and with it, so did his laughter. She pressed her forehead to his. "I thought I lost you."

"Oh, come on, I'm not going to stop bugging you that easy." He joked. She chuckled and he could have died in the sound. It was real, soft and warm. "When did Donnie say I could go back to my room again?"

"Your room? You don't have a room anymore."

"What?" He asked, utterly confused. Becca stroked the top of his head. He guessed most of the stuff up there had healed up. He'd been in this bed for three days, or so Donnie said. Maybe something on the inside of his head wasn't working right. Why on Earth wouldn't he have a room anymore?

"You don't have a room anymore. Whether you like it or not, you're going to be sharing with me from now on. So we have a room, but you don't." Becca stood proud and tall with her arms crossed over her chest. She looked down on him as he laid in the repurposed hospital bed. Yeah, something wasn't working in his head. There had to be smoke coming out of his ears from the gears trying to grind together. "I almost lost you once, and it's not going to happen again." Then she kissed him. He could have melted through a sidewalk grate just then. Her lips were soft and warm. He'd forgotten what they felt like. Then her little tongue brushed against his lips. He opened his mouth, not sure. She was.

Her hands held his face and he lost himself in her for a moment. She pulled back and smiled at him. "Let's do this right this time." She laughed. "Mikey, would you like to go out with me some time? I know this really great Chinese place just a few blocks from here."

"I'm not sure, I'll have to ask my girlfriend." He chuckled. The stunned look of horror on Becca's face had him dancing on eggshells and talking before she slapped him for the second time in ten minutes. "She's about your height, blond, giant blue eyes, rocking body, a laugh like wooden wind chimes, but I love just one thing about her the most... her heart." Becca caught on about have way through. At the end she did laugh a little. "You're an asshole sometimes."

*)O(*

They all failed, every single one of them. She'd screamed at any and every one in her room when it'd been shown on the news. The 'turf war from hell,' her ass. It had been them. Hun had been ignorant, selfish. He'd forgotten the end goal. The reports from the few survivors all said the same thing. Hun had had plenty of time to remove the girl from the immediate area. He'd failed her. Her trickling man power had been dammed and now the spring was drying up.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't run everything from the confines of a hospital bed. She was losing the respect of the few men she had left. Almost no new members were willing to join after she'd lost so many numbers in a 'simple fist fight'. They didn't know. They couldn't know. The turtles were monsters. Real monsters, living, breathing, probably reproducing. She felt sick for a split second before lines in the sand drew a map for her.

Not one of her men had said anything about a deadly redhead. Sara had never showed up, for surely if she had, she would have left an impression. She had to be hiding. The only reason why a woman like her would hide was if she had something _to_ hide. The idea repulsed her as much as it thrilled her. A child of a monster, was a monster nonetheless. Forget the turtles' newfound joy of flesh. She would take something far more precious than a mate from them… She would take their children.

She cackled to herself. The pale cream light from the emergency light was the only thing there with her. She would take them and use them. They'd be her little personal toys. "It seems I've found you in a much better mood this time around, Mistress Karai." An amused voice noted from the crack in her door. Her eyes sparkled at the newcomer. As a person, she didn't really care for him, but as a scientist and doctor, she understood his merits. "If your good mood persist, I might even get your new leg attached tonight." Karai laughed again. Her little hoax might not have worked this time, but soon, she could take care of things on her own.

*)O(*

It was nice. There was an unnatural silence hanging in the lair and she soaked it up. She didn't realize how much noise there was until there were the rare moments of silence. She took reprieve in it and sat at the kitchen table. It wasn't much but the quiet gave way to tapping. Long claws on the ground. A tap-scratch sound. She didn't mind it one bit.

Splinter entered the kitchen. He looked at her then perked his ears up, listening. She'd done the same thing. If she tried she could hear muffled noises of the boys and their mates in their rooms. It wasn't anything like it would normally be. Something shone in Splinter's eyes. He nodded then silently pulled out a chair across from her. She was always glad for her fur. Only she felt the effects he cause in her. Surely if she didn't have the fur she would blush constantly while around him.

He stayed quiet. It wasn't completely comfortable, but it wasn't tense. She smiled at him and leaned back, grabbing a pack of cards out of the kitchen drawer. She shuffled them then laid out a game of Rummy. Splinter perked up and smiled back at her. They didn't speak except if one of them won. In the small kitchen, Mik's heart grew ever fonder of Splinter. The silence letting them say things that words wouldn't.

*)O(*

A/N: More to come, don't worry, this isn't the last of it, not yet. Future warning, next chapter is 95% guaranteed to be hot and steamy. Don't worry about how Becca just moved herself into Mikey's room without them resolving anything, they're going to be forced to talk next chapter.

Thanks so much to everyone that has left a review! I'm getting so many that are asking serious questions and opening up my plot line for me! The story is coming close to ending and I hope to end it happier than the recent events that I've made you all endure. Thanks for sticking with me and I hope to see you all again and again.

Also, it's close enough now so… Happy Fourth of July to everyone in the States celebrating the holiday! And happy regular day of the week to the rest of you.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Sorry for the wait! Here it is, chalked full of grammar errors and spelling mistakes, but I want to get it posted ASAP. Same disclaimer from before: There will be M RATED things happening in this chapter. If you don't like it, don't appreciate it, or are 11, then don't read it!

*)O(*

It had been days since he'd been allowed to wander through his home again, and as much as he wanted to run, to do something, he couldn't. His hands were still broken and his leg was stitched together. Not to mention that his shoulder was a crawling mass of itchiness that he couldn't get to because of the large wad of bandages that hid it from view. He really didn't need them except to stop him from scratching, plus he didn't like the way that Becca looked every time she stared at it.

She didn't seem to be scared of him in anyway, nor did she seem to see his injuries as ugly or gross. It was that she'd look at it, frown then try to smile weakly, sadly. They hadn't talked much and he still hadn't even gone into his room. He was allowed to move to the couch and that was about it. Which was like torture. He couldn't pick up a controller and play games and instead had to watch whatever anyone else had left up or try to hunt for the remote. Becca would often come through and flip the channel to something that was entertaining, but she'd never sit long.

It was getting annoying. He just wanted his girlfriend to sit with him and snuggle for a little bit. She seemed to always have something else to do. She helped Sara with her plants, she did laundry, dishes, swept, had to break for training, and then spend the rest of her free time with Klatter or one of his brothers doing who knew what.

Yet as frustrated as he was, he couldn't bring himself to ask her for more of her time than she was willing to give. To say that he felt like a giant pile of steaming dog shit was an understatement. He'd jumped to conclusions and hurt her. If they were to be in a relationship then he should have respected her more and at least given her a chance to tell him that she wanted to stay. He should have held onto her tighter, been more selfish. He chuckled to himself. There were two things his brothers always told him to do: act his age and to stop being selfish. "Man, did I pick a hell of a time to listen to you guys." He muttered to himself. He laid his head back on the couch and groaned.

"Good news Mikey," Donnie grinned wildly. Usually Donnie saying those words with that smile meant that it in fact, was not good news. Then Mikey spied Sara behind him, tapping her foot and glaring a hole through Donnie and straight into his soul. "You can go back to your room today. Just let us know if you need any help." Voice strained, smile forced, sweat beading down his forehead, and eyes pleading for his younger brother to save him. Donnie looked like he was waiting to be beheaded. "Really?" He asked, excited. "Yep, just don't pull any of your stitches or get your gauze wet, also, make sure you use the crutches- ow!" Sara's hand tugged on Donnie's mask so hard that his head bent backwards.

Mikey gulped. Sara was still moodier than Raph. It was best not to make her angry if you could avoid it. At the same time, if you so much as asked if she was okay she'd break out into tears. "Thanks, dude." He said with a wink to Sara who was whispering something into Donnie's ear. He didn't spend any more time there on the couch than he dared. He'd been given a get out of jail free card and he was going to use it.

Crutches that helped him get to the bathroom with a little less pain were stationed next to the couch. He grabbed them and left as quickly as he could. Then he was faced with his greatest enemy of all. Stairs. He'd make sure to add it into his next comic book, that was a guarantee. His shoulder protested every movement. Some of his smaller cuts and stitches ached. His leg throbbed, and his balance was like that of a baby giraffe's. Once he got to the top he leaned against the wall, huffing and sweating. It was embarrassing for a ninja, let alone a boyfriend because there was his girlfriend, standing in front of his door. In all honesty, if he could have traded Donnie for an angry Sara right then, he would have because Becca's very posture said 'we need to talk.'

"We are going to talk." Arms folded over her chest, hair pulled back, hip cocked, eyes set, and as scared as he was of this talk, she was still so beautiful. "Out of the frying pan." He grumbled, starting her way. A smile flashed across her face and she coughed quickly. She opened the door for him and he took a moment to look around.

Except for a few new posters on his walls, a dresser and the bed moved to the middle of the room, everything looked almost the same. There was a smell in here that he knew but hadn't experienced before. She'd been sleeping in here. The room smelled of them, her scent mingling with his, as if she'd always been here. "Are you going to sit down or do I need to make you?" All it would take would be a shove and he'd fall over, so he sat down. Becca took the crutches and placed them by the door. She took a moment to lock it before coming back to sit with him.

"Why didn't you say anything that night?" Mikey tensed. He'd expected some small talk before the big issues came up. "I mean, I understand if you don't want kids. But you'd said that that was why you were keeping your side job so I thought that maybe, one day." She trailed off and he couldn't help but stare at her like he was a fish out of water. "You should have said something. I know you, at least a little, and you should have said something, anything."

"Whoah, whoah, wait." He sputtered, putting a hand up. "That had nothing to do with me wanting kids or not."

"Then why? I thought you were rejecting me, and the idea of a future with me at all." He didn't lunge into an answer and she didn't pry for one right away. It gave him time to think. "Listen when I say this, okay?" He warned. "I was, but not for anything that you probably think." He took a breath to steady himself. She was looking up at him, her eyes looking like they were about to spring tears at any moment. "I thought that after you thought it over, or as time passed, that you'd leave. I thought you'd leave the lair and then me."

"Why-" She accused but he held up his hand again and she glared at him.

"When you first got here, you said you'd be gone as soon as you got a job." Realization then anger sprouted on her features.

"You never gave me the chance to-"

"I've realized that. I thought for you, I made decisions for you based off what I thought any other girl would do, and they were bad ones." She huffed, annoyed at being cut off. "If you're with me then you'll live down here. You'll have to deal with me going out on patrol, coming home banged up like this almost all the time. Then we have enemies, I'd hoped to protect you from them, but look at what happened."

"But you did save me." She smiled weakly. Her eyes not looking at his, but at his shoulder. "Why do you look at it like that?"

"Huh?"

"My wounds." She bit her lip. Seeming to mull over her thought, she avoided looking at it again. "I watched you break through the glass, shoulder and head first without concern for your own safety." She took in a long breath and let it out slowly. "As much as I hated seeing you hurt, and as scared as I was, it's proof that you still cared for me. I don't like that it took you getting hurt for me to realize it. But when I look at it, I'm reminded that I was just as stupid as you were that night, and that I never wanted to be away from you."

She leaned into him and he wrapped an arm around her. Her fingers played over the sensitive connections on his plastron. "I understand what it will be like to live with you, and your family. I know what you think I might be giving up. I've never really been close with my family, and yours is much nicer anyway. I still have my job, and now that Bea knows about you guys, I'll have someone to talk to."

"Yeah, I heard a little about that. Leo and Raph scared her into not saying anything, right?"

"Kind of." She paused. "Once things had calmed down and I knew you were going to be okay, Sara and I went over to her house. When we finally explained things to her, she seemed more understanding. Come to find out she's basically an animal rights activist."

"So no cages and inhumane test for us then, huh?"

"Nope. Although since she was scared out of her mind, she really doesn't want to see Leo or Raph anytime soon." They chuckled together for a moment.

The playfulness died after a moment and Mikey wrapped Becca in his arms completely. "I'm sorry." He murmured into her hair.

"Me too," she mumbled into his plastron. Her arms snaked under his and latched onto the top of his carapace. He rejoiced in the feel of her small, warm, soft body pressed against his. She was like his personal hot water bottle in the middle of winter. He tightened his grip the best he could then rolled onto the bed. Thankfully she didn't fight him, except to get her arm out from under his shell.

They didn't talk anymore, instead they just laid there, thankful for each other's warmth and presence. Eventually his body demanded that he take a nap. It wasn't his fault, being around her just made him so comfortable. Right before he drifted of he tried to tease. "If my body didn't hurt so much, I'd try to be more romantic."

"Easy there tiger," was the hushed laugh of a response.

*)O(*

Sara had been right. When sleeping with a giant mutant turtle, all of your appendages will eventually become trapped and numb. She rubbed life back into her leg as she woke up to the alarm. In roughly three weeks Mikey had gone from nearly crippled to being like new again. That meant that as she sat up to turn off the alarm, he pulled her back onto the bed and curled up around her in a way that someone who had a shell shouldn't be able to curl. She nipped at his arm and he yelped in surprise, letting go just long enough for her to fail at getting up again before he pulled her back down.

"I have to turn the alarm off." She whined.

"Just hit the snooze."

"I can't reach it." She whimpered, mocking the action. He chuckled at her plight. "You're the one who put it on the other side of the room."

"If I didn't the snooze button would be worn out in a week." She pushed his arm off her and lumbered out of the bed to shut off the alarm. When she turned back around Mikey was laying face down on her side of the bed. She'd laughed at him when he'd asked that she sleep on the side furthest from the door. His reasoning being that if they were attacked in the middle of the night, he wanted to be the closest to the door. The difference was only about a foot and when she'd tried to argue, he'd said it was a guy thing and she wouldn't understand.

"Come on, get up. Company is coming over, remember? And someone volunteered me to help them cook breakfast for an army."

"It's not an army, just a small platoon." Was his muffled reply. "Anyway, you need the practice." She huffed and picked up a pencil from the stand, launching it at him. She didn't have time to appreciate the beauty of the throw before he snatched it out of the air before it connected with his head, previously mentioned head still buried in her pillow. "We're already at the point in our relationship where you're throwing things at me?" She picked up a large pink eraser and silently, playfully threatened him with it. He fake pouted. "Remind me to tell Sara to stop teaching you how to throw knives."

After a bit more play and teasing, she finally got ready. Since she'd complained to Sara about having not been able to talk to Mikey privately, which had prompted him coming back to his room, she'd noticed that he always disappeared once she pulled her clothes out. She had mixed emotions about it, but knew that until she decided to give it a go, he'd continue doing just that. Sighing and getting ready to face a living nightmare of time spent in the kitchen under Mikey's cautioning glance, she left their room. Splinter, Mik, and Leo would be the only ones up at this time so that meant that she'd be free to mess up for at least an hour before anyone thought of eating.

Mikey was patient, but he was overly cautious about her being in the kitchen after she'd set a pan of bacon grease on fire. Yet she was determined to at least match Raph in the kitchen. Although she knew she'd never be able to out match him in his skill at cutting things up. The dude could peel potatoes with such precision that _only_ the skin came off. While practically being a chef in his own right, Mikey wasn't as finely tuned with a parry knife as his brother. His forte was in the way something looked and tasted after he made it. All Becca wanted was to be able to make something that other people could stomach.

She'd been right, after about an hour people started to stir the first of their visitors came over, Marcus. His presence was one of a hunter tracking prey, that prey being Sara. Becca had learned a little about the man, but still found him to be an odd kind of person. He seemed normal on the surface, but was full of little oddities once you got him to talk about something other than people. Come to find out he was a huge football fan. It was almost a secret that he didn't want others to know, just like his misfortunate love for spicy foods. One night of chili was enough to give him stomachaches for a week due to a missing gal bladder.

Next came April and Casey. They were a pair like if Sara had fallen for Raph instead of Donnie. All around, April was a calm yet passionate person. Casey was passionate yet rarely calm. They were a balance in and of themselves. Casey pushed April to step outside of her boundaries while April tried to show Casey where his were. Becca thought that just maybe, Casey might have had a hint of cloister phobia since he didn't come down as often as April did. The guy's interaction with him seemed to take place more above ground.

The kitchen wasn't big enough to hold everyone, so they moved out into the living room and used the coffee table as a buffet. She'd been pleased when she didn't scorch the eggs and her French toast sticks puffed out just right. She'd left Mikey to the bacon, sausage and fried potatoes though, afraid of the popping grease and risk of another fire. She'd had the idea to use a tea jug for coffee, seeing how Donnie wasn't the only person who enjoyed it.

The scene was a regulated chaos that warmed her heart. She sat next to Mikey on what was supposed to be a gag beanbag chair. It was big enough for him to sit and be comfortable while she could share the space that was left over. This was her family, her friends and her new life. It was full of happiness, wonder and excitement that could turn a tad frightening at times. It wasn't perfect, but it was what she'd always wanted.

She leaned into Mikey, grateful for him and everyone else. She spied Mik and Splinter, nearly huddled together eating and talking, apart from the rest of the group which carried on it's own conversation. There was probably a foot and a half of space between the chairs they sat in, but they were both turned towards each other, murmuring and obviously enthralled enough to ignore everyone else. As usual, Raph and Casey switched back and forth between arguing with each other and arguing with other people. Sara and Donnie kept nodding and accepting ongoing congratulations.

Maybe it was just Becca but there seemed to be a glint in Sara's eyes everything someone mentioned how they thought her kids would play down here in the sewers, with each other. If she could guess, Sara was working on a way for her kids to be able to play in the sunshine. Becca couldn't blame her and hoped she'd be able to help.

Leo bounced around everyone's conversations while holding one with Marcus. His eyes darting, but never landing on someone when they weren't talking. It gave the appearance that he was paying attention to everyone evenly, even though she could tell that Marcus held most of his interest.

She'd been thinking of inviting Bea, but decided against it. It would take sometime before she'd be willing to let her into their family. Even though she was an ally, it didn't mean that she wouldn't suddenly change her mind if the danger became too real. It wasn't likely, but it was a possibility.

It had just been meant to be breakfast and talking, yet the whole day ended up being a giant party. Training turned into a mini tournament. Lunch meant a shopping trip for the girls while the guys played video games and caught a game of ninja tag. Dinner was followed by the rarest event she'd seen since moving in with her new family. Drinking.

Splinter had announce that he'd like to toast Sara and Donnie's success, since everyone was gathered and had the day free from other distractions. She hadn't even known that there was this mysterious liquid called sake in the house. Raph's beer, okay. Wine that Mikey sometimes used in cooking, yeah. But suddenly there was a trip to the liquor store and everyone but Sara had something alcoholic in their hands. She was so lost in the scene that she thought that maybe she was dreaming. There was no way that any of them were drinking, except maybe Casey and Raph. Still, Mikey handed her a Jack and Coke and she tipped her glass when Splinter simply said, "To my son and my daughter, may you have the best of luck." Sara laughed and drank some plain orange juice as everyone toasted her and her fiancé.

It was only a few drinks, except on Raph and Casey's part, but it was so odd. The two sets of Spades that started were nice. It was loud and crazy and she was having a blast. Splinter only drank one cup of sake, and retired with a clear warning of over indulging. Mik, who'd decided she did not like alcohol, went next, having sampled sake, a beer and a sip of Becca's Jack and Coke. April pulled Casey away after he polished off a six pack by himself. Marcus only drank one beer, but made it last until it was late and the last game of Spades had finished. Donnie whisked Sara away soon after and that only left Raph stumbling to his room. Mikey had drank Jack and Coke like her, matching her, but she could tell he was getting close to being drunk himself. She realized she'd missed Leo slipping away at some point, but knowing that she'd only seen him drink maybe one or two at most.

Her and Mikey put up the cards, having only won three of the games. They'd lost but she hadn't minded. Mikey had kept trying to signal her but it had been so obvious that everyone else had noticed as well. Now his movements were more fluid than ever. His arms swung wide, his stroll was a glide, a perma grin was plastered onto his face even though they didn't talk as they cleaned up. Somehow he seemed even more graceful when he was tipsy. Maybe that was her own intoxication, but it appeared to be true. Once everything was clean, only then did he turn back to her.

If she'd blinked, she would have missed him stooping down and proceeding to lift her over his shoulder. She squealed and laughed, playfully knocking against his carapace. She let out a small shriek when he returned the favor with a smack to her butt. Up the stairs and into their room they laughed, gleeful in their current state. It should have, but it didn't surprise her when he tossed her onto the bed.

He took off his mask, which to her made him look older, as if he was more of a predator. Then went his elbow and knee pads. That she was used to, he didn't sleep with them on unless he fell asleep on the couch or something. It was the way that he crawled not only up the bed, but up her body. His eyes were dark and roamed her body like he was searching for something. Her breath started to come out in puffs. She wondered if he'd try something tonight. His inhibitions were lowered, so it was possible. She'd hoped that this wouldn't happen when they were drunk, but she was ready. She had been ready. She just didn't know how to tell him, or show him. She was a woman after all and even if she hadn't had sex yet, that didn't mean that she didn't have needs. It didn't mean that she didn't have some idea of what she wanted. She just wasn't practiced in trying to be seductive. She hadn't thought that he would be either, but he was doing a damn good job at it.

Once he got up to her lips, he kissed her and she tried to let go of any residual worry or doubt. She loved him, through and through. She knew that it would hurt, that she would bleed, but she didn't want to be scared. Even if he'd never done this before either, she knew Mikey would be as gentle as he could be. Her body responded. It started as a buzzing feeling on her lips that traveled down to the bottom of her stomach then lower, heating her from her core.

Mikey wasn't pushy, or demanding. It seemed like he was kissing her just to have fun, but the depth of it soon got away from him. His hands started to wander. First caressing her cheek then tracing her shoulder. He seemed to flutter around going any further, edging down to her breast, but never getting close enough to touch. Her body started to ache in response to what it thought was teasing. She nearly growled into the kiss, fumbled for his hand and sternly placed it over one breast. Desire clearly shown, Mikey replied, gripping it softly then removing his hand and worked it up her shirt.

Clothes were a barrier to her desires. As soon as he cupped her over only her bra she pushed herself up to a sitting position and tore off her shirt. Mikey's eyes bulged. A pride that she could make him look at her like that started in her. She didn't have to worry about if he found her attractive or not, he made it clear that she was. Now she just wanted to let him know that she found him just as attractive.

While he'd been recovering from his injuries, she'd asked Sara a few things about how mutant turtles worked. She ran her hands over his plastron until she found the two bottom plates. It was obvious now that she felt it. There it was, an indent that would open up, revealing him. She ran her fingers around the area, trying to follow some of Sara's advise. Supposedly this area was tender and sensitive which meant that it should have felt good. Mikey's knee jerk reaction left her sitting alone on the bed.

He'd pulled away and jumped off the bed faster than she'd thought possible. She ached. She wanted him. She knew that she was wet, ready. Her breath came out ragged, shaky. "Was that wrong? I thought that was where-"

"How did you know?"

"I asked Sara. I wanted to have some idea-"

"Okay," he blushed. "But we've been drinking." Her jaw dropped. There was no way he was being serious. Yet it was there, in the way he shook and the way he didn't look at her. He was trying to restrain himself. Damn him for it working.

*)O(*

The chill that ran up her spine was nearly painful. The stupid glop that Donnie was spreading over her sensitive stomach was like ice. Then there they were, three perfect wiggling little eggs. Some babble about how the cords shouldn't be quite so visible, possibly another mutation. She didn't care. She studied the picture carefully.

Something wasn't right with one of them. She tried to suppress any irrational train of thought, but those were her babies. They had grown a lot since the last time, a few weeks ago, and one of them had changed. No one else probably saw it, but she did. "Donnie, move it over to the left and down just a bit." Sara ordered. Donnie looked between her and the monitor before listening. Raph leaned closer, noticing it too. "What's dat?" He asked. The wand stopped on her ever growing bump and they all strained to make it out.

While the eggs seemed to be soft and squishy, allowing for forming hands and legs to move, this was new. There was a swell that wasn't moving, as if the egg was hard and deformed there. Bile rose up into her throat and her heart rate elevated. Fear sunk into her body like a dagger from an enemy. "It's probably just stretching," Donnie tried to say, as if trying to convince himself. Silence, even from Raph, was heavy in the room as Donnie tried to zoom in on the area.

The door opened and Becca came in looking like she was ready to have a break down. "Sorry," the other girl announced. "We didn't have anymore jalapenos so I used some of the hot banana peppers instead, is that okay?" A sandwich, intended for her rested in Becca's hands. Sara's earlier craving kicked back in full force and she beckoned Becca over. It did look weird now that she saw it, but her mouth watered and her stomach gave an audible growl. Salami, mustard, cucumber, pickle and substitute jalapenos all contained inside of two slices of hot pumpernickel coated in butter.

Cravings had hit hard, and morning sickness still reared it's evil head. Now she might be dealing with something wrong with one of her babies as well. "It's breaking the shell," Donnie gasped. Her neck almost broke as she remembered the monitor. There was the proof, a small line with a hole in the middle. It was blurry and distorted, but she could have sworn she saw a beak press against the fissure. "That's some Twilight Zone shit," Raph said in near horror.

Sara grew excited. Turtles were supposed to do that, so it was a good sign. She tried to look to her mate for help but he was already typing with one hand, taking notes. His worried frown didn't help her. "Donnie?"

"I'm worried that they won't be connected to the umbilical cord." He said tensely. She looked at the monitor again. "What if it goes through the shell?"

"I can't be sure-"

"There's nothing we can do about it anyway, right?" She bit out. It was harsh and true, but she felt bad after seeing the way Donnie's face dropped. "If anything happens, there is nothing we can do. This is just going to have to play out the way that nature wants it to."

She let Donnie observe for a little while longer before she insisted that the gunk be removed from her stomach. It was difficult to eat when she felt like an experiment. Becca stood oddly close and was hyper fidgety. Raph cleared out soon and Donnie didn't linger himself. It was clear that something about Becca's demeanor had told the guys to bugger off, but she couldn't figure it out herself.

"Sara, I need your help." Hands wrung out in front of her, her face flush, and it looked like the poor girl had nearly gnawed off her bottom lip. She silently swore that if Mikey was responsible for her frazzled state, she'd take care of him herself. "What's wrong?"

"It's Mikey…"

"I knew it," she huffed, ready to go kick her little brother's ass. "What's he done this time? I swear, if he-"

"He hasn't done ANYTHING and THAT'S the problem." Sara paused and looked at Becca again.

What she said and what she meant clicked inside her head. "Nothing? Like, really nothing, or nothing like he just doesn't want to-"

"No, he does. I know he does. He just left our room in a near rage and me lying there."

"I don't want to know," Sara interjected, feeling a flush come to her own cheeks.

"It's been like this for a week now, I don't think I can handle much more." The other woman confessed. Sara tried to be rational, remove herself from the situation. Everything she thought of, Becca had probably already tried. Then an obvious thought presented it's self. "Have you just told him that you want him?"

"Yes, last week!"

"When everyone got drunk?"

"Yes." An increasingly frustrated Becca huffed.

"And since you've been sober, you've reaffirmed your desire?"

"Yes, I've done everything but tie him to the bed-"  
"Verbally. Have you told him that you still want him? That it wasn't just a drunken-"

"Sara, I took off all my clothes and literally begged him to-"

"Don't want to know!" Sara waved her hands. She sighed. "I don't know, but I'm going to go eat my sandwich now. The only thing I can recommend is to keep trying and to take care of anything that he won't by yourself. I've told you that they have really good sense of smell right?"

"Yeah."

"They can smell when you're aroused. The other guys too, which is why I think they ran out of here."

"Oh god." Becca gasped, mortified.

"But if Donnie tells me the truth, they can smell when you, you know." With that, and a red face, Sara nearly ran from the room herself.

*)O(*

His earlier aggression worn off, Mikey trudged his way back to his room. He'd spent hours wearing himself out and dreading what Becca might have in store for him when he poked his head out of the dojo. She was making this a very difficult task for him. He wanted to wait, to make sure she wasn't going to regret sleeping with him. He had to know that the fact that she lost her virginity to a mutant turtle wasn't going to bother her in the long run.

He had no doubts about her love, nor his for her, but he didn't want to ruin her life if eventually she decided not to be with him. He was keeping his head focused on the real world, he didn't want to think about her leaving, and it hurt to imagine, but he knew that he was still going to have to make sure that he didn't get his hopes up too high.

It wasn't the same as before they broke up. There wasn't an ever present fear hanging over his head. He was determined to make the most of any time that he got with her. He just didn't want to hurt her. He'd read some romance novels and even did a little research on what it's like for a woman to lose their virginity. Blood, pain, and except in the novels, no pleasure. He'd even went as far as to ask advice on a forum.

Go slow, make her as comfortable as possible, remember that it wasn't about him, make sure she was ready, and the one he was the most interested in, make sure she'd already finished once or twice. It was so much pressure, he was even beginning to worry if his body would perform correctly. Which obviously wasn't an issue that his body thought of having. The past week had been rough to say the least and he wasn't sure if he was fighting his body or mind more.

A sharp smell hit his nose and he stopped outside of his door. He'd smelled it before, but this was different. Usually there were different under tones and he was the one causing it. He sniffed again. It was Becca. His body cried out saying that his mate was in heat, and that he needed to respond to it. The door to his room was the only thing stopping him, and he didn't think it was doing anything spectacular. Then something else enlightened his senses. His name, whimpered in a plea. He looked around, made sure no one else was in the hallway then opened his door, his curiosity too strong to ignore any longer.

He'd startled her, but she didn't move to cover up, and the sight in front of him coupled with the smell in his room made his vision shrink. Every inch of her was exposed on his orange bedspread. Her legs were open, a hand between them. Irrationally, he grew angry at that hand. Her body shook, and her cheeks were flushed. Her other hand still cupped her breast and a small nipple was pinched between her middle finger and thumb. Instantly he grew hard in his shell, the pressure opening on his bottom plates.

"Close the door," she hissed, covering herself from anyone that might be walking down the hall. No control over his strength, he slammed the door, never looking away from her. Neither of them moved. Not a sound was made except their heavy breaths. Then an aggravated huff escaped Becca's lips. "If you're not going to do anything, then I'm going to." The hand between her legs moved from covering to exploring and he growled.

He had no control over his body and he took three strides to the edge of his bed. Becca had frozen, watching him. He growled again and reached down, removing her hands from her body. He took in the sight. Her skin smooth and soft, her nipples a soft pink and her opening already wet from her own minstrations. Another growl, lower and deeper, rumbled his chest. She'd already come once, that was why the smell was different. He'd never smelled it before, not from her, and he wanted to be the cause of it the next time.

He rapidly shed his sparring amount of clothing. His member begged for him to allow it exposure. Just barely did he contain himself, latching onto the memory of this being her first time. Her small arms reached up to him and he let her drag him down to her awaiting lips. He didn't hold himself back, wandering her torso with his hands. He rolled her nipples between his fingers, getting breathy moans and sighs as rewards. He trailed a hand lower, feeling a soft bed of hair then even softer skin. "Oh, yes, please." She begged and he couldn't deny her.

*)O(*

His fingers were rougher than her own, which meant more sensation. She rocked her hips unconsciously. His finger ground over her clit and she tried to keep herself on the mattress. Then his lips left hers and latched around a nipple. It was the best feeling she'd ever had. A cried escaped her and she used both hands to keep him where he was. She couldn't stop shaking, but she didn't want to.

It hadn't been her plan for things to work out like this, but then again she couldn't have planned it any better. Her body did as it wanted, and she simply enjoyed. She was close. Her body was tight, legs shaky, breath short, and her head spun in anticipation. She tried to hold onto the feeling, savor it. Mikey had different ideas as he drove her to ecstasy. The feel of her orgasm shook her to her core. She'd never had one so strong before. It was as if he stole part of her soul with it, leaving her light headed and lightly dizzy in her euphoria.

"Again," came a growl that snapped her out of her daze for a moment. Rough fingers started to play at her opening again and she whimpered. It was too soon, she was too sensitive and the feeling was too harsh. She tried to move his hand away, but only succeeded in getting another growl and his head between her thighs. "Wait!" She begged. She wasn't sure he heard her until she felt pressure on her thigh, his teeth digging in and pulling her away from pleasure towards pain only for him to stop before she told him to. "Mine." The hoarse sound of his voice made her forget her discomfort.

There was something inside of her that cried out, overjoyed to be claimed by him. She didn't try to stop it as it wrapped around her heart. She reached down to him, tugging on him. Reluctantly, he rose up to her, staring into her eyes with his which were nearly consumed by the black pupils. "Mikey, I love you. I will be yours forever." The darkness shrunk and some of the playful light that was Mikey shone back through. "Becca," he called to her, his voice thick. "I love you too, I love you." His lips smothered hers and she held onto him with everything that she was.

It took a while, but their kisses turned from passionate and tender to heated and wanting once more. This time she let her hands wander over his body as he did to her. Apprehensive, she traced the bottom two plates on his plastron and was surprised when a long human like cock sprung into her hand. Sara had told her that they were somewhat human like, except for color, but she'd almost been expecting one of the one's she'd seen when she did her research on turtle anatomy.

A sound from deep in Mikey's chest and throat startled her. A chur, a sure sign that what she was doing was appreciated. Then, before she'd had anymore time to think about it, he was between her legs. She looked up to him, placing all of her trust on his shoulders. "I'm sorry that I'm going to hurt you." His voice was strained, and his eyes were doing this odd thing where they were dilating to epic proportions and scaling back down. A true testament to his emotional state. "It'll only be once, and it'll be worth it." She smiled. The love she felt as he looked down at her was immense.

Awkwardly, he pressed against her opening. A bit of apprehension flitted through her and she pulled him down to her so she could hold onto him. She kissed him, relaxing a bit and confirmed to him that she still wanted him. The pressure was shocking and she bit her lip as she clung to Mikey. She was already slick, so he nearly glided inside of her, once he was in. He didn't reach back to her barrier yet, instead rocking shallowly near her entrance. Once she adjusted, she found her body responding.

"Sorry," Mikey ground out before sinking into her. A flare of pain seared her. She couldn't stop the whimpers that escaped her. Kisses, soft and apologetic rained over her face. Mikey started to withdraw and she wrapped her legs around his hips. "Don't move," she begged as she waited for the discomfort to pass.

"I don't want to hurt you anymore."

"You're not, if you don't move!" She hissed, and damn him for chuckling.

"As you wish."

"Don't go getting all 'Princess Bride' on me right now, Michelangelo." She laughed for a second then realized that wasn't a good idea at the moment. Well, it might not have felt good to her, but it caused Mikey to chur as she tightened around him.

After what seemed like forever, she gave a cautionary move to her hips. Mikey pulled out a little, waited a second then pushed back in. It was uncomfortable, but it didn't hurt like before so she did it again. They repeated that same move a dozen times. To her frustration, it didn't stir anything inside of her. This was not what her romance novels had lead her to believe.

Above her, Mikey was shaking. His eyes were screwed shut and he was starting to sweat. Churs escaped him and she felt guilty that she was forcing him to go against his instincts. "Touch me," she asked, hoping that it would help. Mikey looked down at her before churring again and dipping his head to her breast. The sudden sensation of his mouth over her made her gasp. He pulled and sucked on her as he pumped into her slowly and her body warmed up to the feeling. Curious she reached between them and rubbed herself.

Slowly her body took the ember of desire and moved toward an inferno. Mikey's movements generated a new need inside of her and she laid there, enjoying it. Her breathing hitched and came in puffs. A few beads of sweat rolled down Mikey's nose and landed on her chest as his rhythm increased. She removed her hand and clutched him, arms wrapped around the back of his neck. Mutual moans and pants filled the room. Bending lower, hiding his face in her neck, Mikey's plastron rubbed her clit harshly, heightening her experience. She felt him turn his head and start to bite as his hips bucked wildly.

He was going to come and she would be damned if she got left behind. She spread her legs a bit more and matched his pace with her own. She wasn't sure he stopped churring as her body started to tingle. It was only a brief warning as she came. Her body locked up, shaking and she thought she would die from pleasure. Little dots floated behind her eyes and she couldn't stop the loud moan that escaped her. The burst of her orgasm like one of the fireworks on the fourth of July that then fizzled into multiple others.

Only slightly was she aware of Mikey coming as well. His teeth stayed in her shoulder and his hips slammed against her, sending her body into aftershock. It was only when they both stilled that she realized what they'd done.

There had been no condom, no birth control. Then she remembered that it'd taken Sara almost a year to mutate enough to carry a child. Worry put aside, she held Mikey to her as he removed himself. He kissed the mark on her shoulder and her neck then her face. She pushed him away before claiming his lips with hers. She was sore and tired. When he rolled off from on top of her, she followed, continuing to hold onto him. "I love you, Becca."

"I love you too, Mikey." They didn't say anything else as they fell asleep in each other's arms.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Thank you guys for all of your wonderful reviews through out the entirety of the story so far. I am so happy that I found this site, and that it's so full of wonderful people like you all. Sorry to say, but this is the last chapter for this story. Just like last time, their story is not done, just being continued in the next one. For anyone that might have guessed, Leo's is up next. _**A New Kind Of Training**_ will be coming out shortly and I'm so excited to try his point of view. If you haven't noticed, I'm starting to branch off into my other fandoms and favorite pairings. I'll probably be posting some one shot's as well. I look forward to seeing you all in the next story, and thanks again for your wonderful, continued support.

*)O(*

A harsh sound awoke her. She glared through the darkness towards the object of her disapproval. There, across the room, was their alarm clock. She wanted to cry, just a little. Her body was sore and she didn't want to get up. Mikey's snoring felt like heaven as it vibrated his plastron and the bed was warm and comfortable. Pouting, she threw off the blanket, not sure how it'd come to cover her naked body in the first place. Startling quick, it was replaced and Mikey's voice grumbled in her ear. "You, go back to sleep." She felt the bed shift and in a few moments the alarm clock was silenced.

The bed moved again and a heavy arm snaked around her, pulling her hard against the patterned feel of a plastron. A heavy vibration, like when he churred started and she forgot to be an adult. Sleep welcomed her once more.

The next time she woke up, something was tugging on her leg. "Rise and shine, gorgeous." Peeking because she knew the light would be on; she spied the shape of her boyfriend at the side of the bed. "S' time?" She tried to ask.

"Breakfast time, of course, now wake up." She wanted to complain, or resist him, but then she smelled something. "Bacon?"

"Yup, and those nasty grit things you love." Grits and bacon, she internally sighed.

"Butter?"

"And sugar," Mikey added, too chipper. How long had she actually slept? She sat up and looked at the alarm clock. "Holy shit! I missed practice!"

"It's okay, I explained and you're excused."

Mortified, she put her head in her hands. If there was anyone looking out for her, she prayed to them. A tray was placed across her lap. She thought she'd been smelling things from the kitchen, but looking down she had to bite her lip. The only time she'd ever gotten breakfast in bed was when it'd been her birthday, and even then it was only if the current housekeeper was kind enough to remember. She refused to cry and instead inhaled the aroma of the food before her. "It looks so good," she commented before picking up a spoon and shoveling in a mouthful of grits.

Immediately she made a face and groped for the orange juice in the top corner of the tray. Looking at the tray again, she scooped a glob of butter and turned the container of sugar upside down, stirring rapidly. Meanwhile, Mikey was loosing his shit, nearly falling off the bed laughing. "Oh, my, god," he breathed, holding his sides like it would help keep him together. "They're gross without butter and sugar," she frowned.

"They're gross all the time," was his rebuttal.

"This coming from the person who eats sauerkraut!" She joked. Mikey tried to look offended. Savoring the meal and teasing with him, she nearly forgot about her achy body. "Here, Sara said you might need these." Mikey rushed when he noticed her small grimace. She accepted two little pills and relaxed for a moment as he removed the tray and put it on the dresser. "Thank you, that was great." She reached for him then noticed he seemed to be avoiding the middle of the bed when he held his hand above it instead of putting it down to bear his weight when he kissed her.

Embarrassment crept up her neck and heated her face. "Let's get these into the washer, soon."

"Right," he nodded. She went to the closet, noticing some blood on her thighs as well, as she got one of his oversized t-shirts that wouldn't set on her shoulders correctly and looked more like a funky dress on her. Her legs felt a little off and her stomach hurt, but other than that, she felt fine. After donning his shirt, she turned to notice Mikey stripping the bed. She moved to help but he tugged the sheets away from her. "Nope, there is a hot bubble bath waiting for you in the bathroom in the hallway."

She stared at him. The idea of him being a pod person crossed her mind. He'd let her sleep in late, brought her breakfast in bed, and now a bubble bath? Seeming to understand without her having to say anything, he smiled and gave her a wink. "I've got to make up for hurting you, so just go along with it, for today at least." She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. Rinse and repeat a few times, and she ended up sighing, walking to the bathroom. She wanted to tell him that it hadn't mattered, that she'd enjoyed herself, and that it was all worth it in the end. At the same time, she knew he must have been feeling some immense guilt on his part. He'd shown it last night when he'd been so gentle with her when she knew that he'd been fighting himself the whole time. Like he'd asked, she'd let him have this today, but one day was enough.

*) O (*

It was unrealistic, but part of him wanted to do this for her everyday. He liked taking care of her, and seeing her so overwhelmed sort of amused him. Throughout the rest of the day, he kept pampering her. After her bath, he rubbed her down with her favorite lotion, not trying to be sexy and actually working out any knots or tension she had. Afterward was a heating pad, ice cream and a binge on 'The Irregular at Magic High School', which was their new favorite anime. Coupled with lunch, which was grilled cheese and tomato soup. "What are you cooking? You're taking too long," she'd complained as the T.V sat idle on the pause menu. "Mayhem, and it won't get done any faster than it needs to." He'd called back, continuing to tease her yet still try to be easy on her. He listened to her yell at the T.V. whenever someone did something she didn't like. It was one of the weirdest things to see someone else do. He wondered if this was how everyone else felt when he got too into something and did the same.

Images and thoughts kept popping up in his head. The way she looked, how her cheeks seemed to flush more when he teased her. How her hair cascaded over her shoulder when she tilted her head just so. The shimmer her eyes held when he looked into them, worried he was forgetting who he was as he stared into them until she'd look away. Her lips, bright pink as she gnawed on them, fretting over imaginary people. Hands so small he could hold both of them in one of his. How her hips were so wide, yet when she let him hold her, he could wrap his arms nearly all the way around them.

He'd once told Donnie about the 'Feels Sack'. It had been something goofy that he'd picked up on while scrolling one too many sites online. He'd laughed it off, just as Donnie had when he'd told his older brother about it. Seeing Becca like she was now made him second-guess that decision. Just her smile was enough to make him want to crumble to his knees.

The darker part of his mind tried to weasel its way in and he pondered the thoughts for a moment. 'What if she leaves you? What if she decides she doesn't love you anymore? How could she ever want you?' The thought of loosing her made him feel like he was going to have a heart attack. He could tell from the look in her eyes that she loved him now and all he needed was to make sure he kept her looking at him like that. She wanted him. After all her protest and demands that he believe her, she'd showed him last night. He was hers and she was his. Together they would get through anything and he'd do anything to make sure they were together for the rest of their lives.

Part of the darkness that had grown inside of him died and he looked down at her. "Becca?"

"Hmm?" She hummed, still watching the show. He took her chin in his hand and turned her head so she looked at him. He took in every aspect of her that he could. "I love you." He announced to her and the room. He didn't give her time to respond before covering her lips with his and kissing her until she pulled away, panting. Her fingers gripped the top of his shell and the flush on her face gave her away before her scent had time to change.

"Leave her alone," A female voice commanded as something semi hard hit him on the top of his head. Sara stood behind them with one of Leo's newspapers rolled up in her hand. Her baby bump had started to explode and she was starting to show quiet a bit. A slightly angry, pregnant female armed with a weapon didn't stop him. "Never," he declared before stealing Becca's lips again. The huff and muffled angry foot stomp told him he'd barely won this round. Becca laughed into the kiss. The sound of wooden wind chimes filled his ears and soul.

He wasn't going to try anything, at least not for a couple days, yet he could already smell Becca's body responding to his again. "I love you too, Mikey." Regardless of the trials and hardships ahead of them, Mikey vowed then that he'd never let go of her. To the end of this life and the beginning of the next one, he'd never let her go.

*)O(*

That's it for this one guys. More soon to come… like… I uploaded the first chapter right after I did this one. It'll probably take me some time to dig into Leo's story, but worry not. I will not give up! Thanks to everyone and here is a list, so far, as of the date I've finished this, that has reviewed on this story. Shout out to all of you, you are all amazing people taking time to type out a few lines, or in some cases, leaving a whole paragraph. I know it's been a bumpy ride and I thank all of you for staying with me. I hope to see you all again here soon.

Also, thanks to all the lurkers out there. I see when you add me and my stories to your favorites or when you follow either. You are crafty little fellows and gals who make me smile by knowing that you are secretly enjoying my stories.

To EVERYONE who has kept me inspired, even checked up on me, made me laugh, or dance around like an idiot when another review was left: THANK YOU!

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